There are three kinds of proper chipmunks that are commonly found up in The Stone: The Least Chipmunk, The Uinta Chipmunk, and the Yellow-Pine Chipmunk. How would you like to be named ‘least’? It is true that the Least Chipmunk is the smallest chipmunk in North American, still, being called ‘least’ is kinda having ‘stinky’ for a nickname…
The cute little dude shown above is neither, in fact not a chipmunk at all. In spite of the chipmunk-like stripes on its back, this critter is a Yellow-Mantled Ground Squirrel (YMGS). The definitive ID is made by the absence of stripes on the head and face and the lack of pointy little ears. Also, although you could not tell from the image, the YMGS is quite a big larger than its chipmunk cousins.
Squirrel and chipmunk behavior is actually very distinct. I have a hell of a time shooting chipmunks – their movement is unpredictably twitchy and they are easily spooked. Squirrels by contrast are inveterate beggars, and will fearlessly scurry right up to you in hope of getting a treat.
Images in this entry were recorded at 08:30 MDT on May 15, 2013, using the Nikon D7100 and the AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR lens. Exposure was f/8.0 and 1/640s, ISO 400.
Copyright 2013 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.
