Burdock the Bold

For much of the winter, I noticed that Burdock did not like getting his paws snowy, and he tended to be reluctant to come out of his den if there was fresh snow. Yet on April 3, when wintry weather returned, I spent a lonely evening in the cold wind waiting for Little Fuzzy, Dangerous Dan, and Big East to come out of their dens. After twenty minutes, little Burdock came bustling down a trail from the woods to the south. He climbed up on my lap and ate some biscuits, and then, all business, climbed back down and hiked up the steep trail, up and over the ledges and returned to the forest. Though I waited another hour, the other porcupines remained hunkered in their dens. Hurray for Burdock of the north!

When we got snow a couple of days later, again, Burdock was out in it to greet me. He is now clearly comfortable moving in snow:

Here is the video from a February snowstorm. I lured him out of his den, but he would go no farther:

We meet the Littlest Porcupine, March 30

Another warm evening with golden sunset light at High Scenic. Burdock is out on his doorstep and follows me up the path to my seat. He is not very hungry. He eats an apple and a couple of biscuits and then climbs in my lap to do some grooming. He has a wood tick in his leg, which he ignores.

The two red squirrels and a couple of red-backed voles join the picnic. The second red squirrel, a male, is just as quick to assume I am harmless as the little female who has been coming for the last four days.

Burdock wanders off to nap on his step again, and Dangerous Dan wanders up from the south end of the ledges. He takes a meandering route, and then settles down for a snack. Little Fuzzy comes down from the woods, the first time I have seen her away from her den. She is now more curious than alarmed by me, and came along quickly when I said hello and hummed to her.

Dangerous Dan, Little Fuzzy, a New Squirrel, and some visitors

A gorgeous cool evening at High Scenic. Dangerous Dan, Burdock, and Little Fuzzy were all out in the sun when I arrived.

Dangerous Dan

Dan has an itch

Little Fuzzy dozes

 A new red squirrel joins our gathering, this one a male. He and the little female chatter at each other a bit.

 Some friends arrive to enjoy the evening.