Our crew is now in the field.  Of course, now the snow really starts...

Nicole saw a marmot at Stonefield the other day and Timothee writes:
"It's my first year at RMBL as a research assistant and I'm already fond of the place ! We got there last week, and despite the recurrent snow we were able to spot some marmots (shame on me, I've confounded a ground squirrel with a yearling here...) but also to see a pair of coyotes.

We're now waiting for the snow melt and the emergence of our cute rodents. But when... Place your bets !"

Some of his nice photos are below.

OK, Phil's in trouble.

Turns out that you just can't go around predictin' or prognosticatin' about the weather without consequences in our litigious society and the State of Ohio is filing felony charges against our favorite celebrity rodent!

Sad state of affairs!

Congratulations to Julien!

Dr. Julien Martin has just started his new job as a Marie Curie Fellow and a Lecturer at the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Aberdeen, in Scotland.   Join me in congratulating Julien!

Welcome Timothee Fouqueray

Timothee has recently joined us for a two month stay.

He writes:

"After a two-year intensive course in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology and Humanities, I've been accepted in my current school, the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (France), which fortunately really cares of its students! As a graduate student, my studies go from theoretical works to concrete projects, such as the one I'm beginning in my UCLA internship. During the 5 months of my stay here, I'll try to understand the maternal effects on the anogenital distance (a proxy of masculinization and early exposure to testosterone) of yellow-bellied marmots, that is to say how much of an individual anogenital distance is explained by the breeding value of its mother. And I'll have the chance to go in the field, in RMBL, to observe my new favourite rodents until the end of June !

If you want one, there's in attached file a picture of my school."

Did you know...

...that according to a NY Times article, baristas in Sterling Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon, shout out "Marmot!" when an attractive customer is in line.  It seems the baristas stand at attention like marmots following the cry!

In Alaska it's Marmot Day

Did you know that Alaska doesn't celebrate Groundhog Day, but they have an official state holiday called Marmot Day.  You can read about the history of the State Bill here.  Happy Marmot Day!

Happy Groundhog Day

Happy Groundhog Day to all!

Seems it's cloudy all over (including LA!) and early spring is predicted!

Meanwhile, the LA Times visited our annual lab groundhog day party yesterday and wrote a feature article!