'Possum

Last Saturday I participated in our local Christmas Bird Count.   The 'CBC' which has been held for over 100 years; first just in the United States, now in many other countries too.  Volunteer bird watchers count not just every species found in a specific circle, but also how many individuals.  It's a long hard day of work which my husband and I look forward to every year.

There is no time to sketch or putter along the way .... but I did notice this treasure by the roadside and grabbed it to take home.  At first I wasn't sure what kind of skull .... about 5 inches long, small brain, small teeth, pronounced crest along its cranium.  Dale was pretty sure he knew .... sure enough.  When I looked in our mammal book I had no problem verifying it is a Virginia Opossum, North America's only marsupial.