Indeed, one of six Marmots in NA, there are eight (or nine) others in
Eurasia. Vancouver Island Marmot is still listed as critically
endangered but a captive breeding and release program has been very
successful. Alaska Marmot is a hoot to try for, ~2/3 of the way from
Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay you cross the third continental divide in NA,
Atigun Pass (north side of the Brooks Range flows into the Arctic Ocean,
south into the Pacific). A couple years ago a colony was at MM 173.5, IIRC.
Getting Himalayan Marmot and seeing Mt Everest on the same trip is possible!
Just to be marginally on topic, loads of "our" shorebirds nest on the
Alaska tundra, not far from AK Marmot range, our own Fletcher Smith
spent a summer there recently; google the Center for Conservation Biology.
Cheers,
John Fox
Winchester
On 3/5/2014 3:13 PM, Lee wrote:
That is indeed a groundhog or woodchuck, Marmota monax.
As one of the few North American true hibernators, a very nice sign of spring.
Lee Miller
Alexandria VA
Sent from my iPhone
On Mar 5, 2014, at 14:56, Robert Beard <rbeard22205@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:*** You are subscribed to va-bird as jjcfox@xxxxxxxxxx. If you wish to
Poking around Dyke Marsh late in the am produced no sighting of the Eastern
Screech-owl, but there were some ducks around, including Lesser Scaup, many
Common Mergansers, a few Red-breasted Mergansers, handfuls of Canvasbacks, a
few Buffleheads and Mallards. Overall, its seems duck numbers are down from
just a few weeks ago.
On exit, I saw this little critter, which I think is a ground hog (please
advise if not correctly identified). He was feeding on the open ground areas
in the picnic area just beside the South parking lot.
Bob
Arlington VA
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/36849441/DSC_0123.JPG
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