This group of Columbian ground squirrels seemed to be posing for family photos. First there was one, then there were three and then there were four, although the fourth one was a little camera shy. And then there was one.
I don’t know what they were watching. Maybe my car, parked to the left and behind? The dogs were in it. And then to the right. Did they sense something I did not? They were pretty cute.
I didn’t get to see too much wildlife in the California desert but there was this adorable tiny ground squirrel (or chipmunk) that entertained me at my campsite for part of an afternoon. They would sit on their rock and then make a mad dash through some vegetation and grab something out of the gravel and race back to the rock and eat it like an ear of corn! I could not tell what was being eaten but it must have been pretty good. I confess, I am easily entertained and I must have spent an hour watching and photographing. I tried to figure out the species but had no luck. Maybe someone else knows?
We went on an outing to see if we could find some wintering birds the other day. They are few and far between here at home except at the feeders. Imagine our surprise when we found four bighorn sheep right alongside the road. There was a ram, two ewes and a youngster. At first we thought they had pawed into the snow to find food but as we watched, we realized that they were licking dirt. I wonder if it’s a natural salt lick or if it has some other sort of mineral they need? Regardless, they were intent on what they were doing and did not leave as we watched and photographed. At one point, the big ram moved away from his dirt hole and the youngster started in on it. Shortly, the male came along and butted the little one on the butt, telling them to get out of his hole.
The ground squirrels were particularly active and cute at the campground. Sky was fascinated by them. She’d watch and then they’d slip into their burrows and then she’d walk over and sniff and look around as if to say, ‘where’d they go?’ And the little mammals seemed to know that Sky would not pursue them. They tolerated her watching them. They let each other know when we were approaching with little warning whistles so the others would be alert.
There are several species of ground squirrels in Washington and I don’t them well enough to make an ID. Maybe someone else does?
We camped at Page Springs campground, located at the south end of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and on the road to Steens Mountain. At night I enjoyed listening to owls – Great Horned and also Western Screech Owls and the singing of coyotes. Ruby-crowned Kinglets positively dripped off of every shrub and tree. There were lots of raptors everyday wherever we went.
The girls and I ventured onto the Refuge a couple of times – more gravel roads. It is very dry as is much of the northwest this year. Hopefully recent rains have improved the situation. I did manage to see a few birds and a very beautiful coyote on the main road. The canid stayed on the road til an oncoming truck forced it to choose another pathway. American White Pelicans moved round and round a pond cooperatively fishing at the Malheur NWR headquarters.
My Everyday Photos 