Camera Critters #292

A couple of years ago, I added the California Ground Squirrel to my list of mammals seen and photographed.  Since then I have seen the squirrel in a variety of places, and as I attempted to once again photograph the critter, it always dove into a nearby hole before I could press the shutter.

Until Friday.  8v)

Misty Dawn's Camera Critter Meme is s a great way to see critters the world over.  Go to the home page here to see more.  Then add your own photo and join the fun.

Camera Critters #213

It’s not often I can say I have photographed a new mammal, but today I can.

While riding along the dirt trails of the Dry Canyon in Redmond, Oregon, I noticed something in the distance.  For some reason I was thinking rabbit, until I got a little closer.  My thought then went to rock chuck, which after looking at the critter through my camera lens, I realized it wasn’t that either.

So I snapped off a few shots, moved a little closer, snapped off a few more and moved in a little closer…oops…too close.  The critter disappeared into a hole.

California Ground Squirrel

When I got home and began looking at the creature, I realized it was something I hadn’t photographed before.  There are a number of mammals I haven’t photographed, so it’s not like I’ve shot so many I’m hitting the bottom of the barrel, but I rarely see new mammals in town.

But this California Ground Squirrel was definitely a new creature.  Not only that, but they are mostly known in the western part of the state, on the other side of Cascade Mountains.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #166

They may be despised by a lot of people, but I have always enjoyed squirrels.

Where I live in Oregon there is no resident squirrel population.  Occasionally, one will stop by for one reason or another, but they don’t make a home here.

However, when I was back in Illinois, I came across many squirrels.  One Fox Squirrel in particular held my interest.

You think he won’t see me if I stay real still?

Yes…I do believe he sees me.

One more quick peek..oh no…he still sees me!

For the two weeks I was there, the squirrels were a constant visitor to wherever I was staying.  My sister would call me when one would arrive and I’d head out with camera in hand.

I did so enjoy photographing my squirrel. 

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #155

When I settled in central Oregon, I didn’t think I would miss squirrels…but I do.  I never saw one when I lived in Prineville. 

When I moved to Redmond, once again, no squirrels.

Then one morning after I sat down at my computer, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement at a seed bell I hung in a tree right outside my window.  For a moment, my thought was, “What’s he doing here?”

Then I stopped asking questions, grabbed the camera and began shooting.  At that time, my camera was a Sony Mavica FD-90, which saved images to floppy disks.  I fired a few, then sat and watched as the Western Gray Squirrel made a meal of the seeds in the bell.

Western Gray Squirrels are found primarily along the coastal areas, but are also associated with the Ponderosa Pines on the east side of the Cascades where I live.  But there are no Ponderosa Pines near my house…only Juniper Trees.

The squirrel continued hanging out in the area for most of the year.  During the summer, I would toss unshelled peanuts out for it, which it would quickly grab and bury in the loose soil.  Unfortunately, a Western Scrub Jay also hung around for the peanut fest and as the squirrel buried a peanut, the jay would remove it, and rebury it somewhere else.

I guess the Gray Squirrel got tired of the game and took off for parts unknown.  I never saw him again.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters Meme No. 14

A week or so ago, I was at one of my favorite places in Oregon...the 7,950 foot or so summit of Newberry volcano. You can see photos of that trip on my Flickr page.

Seven years, I was also at that spot. During that trip, I fired off some shots with my old Sony Mavica FD-91 camera.

One of the things I wanted to accomplish during the recent trip was to duplicate the shots I took during the 2001 trip.

For the most part, I was able to trade my low resolution images with higher and better images which made me happy.

However, there was one shot I wasn't able to duplicate. At the right spot, I waited and waited for the scene to duplicate itself. But alas, my traveling party wanted to go elsewhere and I didn't see the scene repeat.

So, rather than display a higher resolution and better quality image for this week's Camera Critters Meme, I'll show you a low res, okay quality image of a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel sitting on a rock at the 7,949 foot high peak of Paulina Peak located within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument of central Oregon.


I earlier called this critter a Belding Ground Squirrel. Sure was a senior moment there..hehehe.