Woody the Woodchuck: Winter stays. This one (in Michigan) uses different methodology from Phil.
Posted by: Administrator in Environment
http://detnews.com/article/20100202/METRO/2020390/Woody-the-Woodchuck--Winter-stays
Howell MI--Woody the Woodchuck stayed inside her hovel, a paper mache tree stump, at the Howell Nature and Conference Center and decided winter will linger for another six weeks.
This is the 12th year for the prognosticating rodent, Michigan's official groundhog since 1999. She has been accurate eight out of 11 times, said Dana DeBenham, a wildlife handler.
"He was fidgety because he was so cold," said Benjamin Masters, 8, of Howell, who had a front row view of Woody, a female, inside her stump.
At the Howell Nature Center, the rules are a bit different than the Pennsylvania groundhog rules. If Woody exited her tree stump, that means she's not afraid of her shadow and an early spring is forecast. Staying indoors means more winter.
About 100 gathered for the annual event, a collective moan followed the 60-second countdown for Woody to emerge.
Kayla Masters, 4, knew what it meant. She has plans for the next six weeks, though.
"I'm going to go sledding and stay home," she said.
