About Me

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Native Californian, biologist, wildlife conservation consultant, retired Smithsonian scientist, father of two daughters, grandfather of 4 small primates. INTJ. Believes nature is infinitely more interesting than shopping malls. Born 100 years too late.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Whattizit?



Apologies for these ho-hum pics from the Sony P32 camera trap down the hill in the chaparral. They were taken over a five-day period last week (its been cooooool--there was a little sun, and a lot of rain and hail).

4 species visited a cache of sunflower seeds and barley that I buried at the base of the manzanita seen in the bottom photo. I was trying to get a better shot of a woodrat, and attracted some other visitors, of which only one was unusual for a camera trap pic.

The question is-- "whattizit? I've cropped the photo to reveal a SHREW!!! It's butt is in the air, and the tail is the clue. It looks like it is diving for seeds! Who woulda thunk a shrew would stoop so low as to eat sunflower seeds? Or is this what these fierce little predators do when the pickin's get slim?