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Dizzy Gillespie eat your heart Out
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188]](https://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (21378) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2007-09-19 |
| Categories: Mammals |
| Camera: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS |
| Exposure: f/7.1, 1/400 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-10-11 16:18 |
| Viewed: 3680 |
| Favorites: 1 [view] |
| Points: 30 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
This Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel was captured eating on top of this rock on a cool sunny morning near Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park. The two aspects of this image I personally like are the full cheeks and the bright orange lichen.
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Spermophilus lateralis
General Description
By Gustave J. Yaki
The attractive Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, on first being sighted, is thought to be a chipmunk on steroids. However, unlike chipmunks, this chunky ground squirrels lacks facial stripes. It is easily recognized by the two broad whitish stripes, running from the shoulder to the hip, bordered by narrower black stripes. Its back and relatively short tail is a grizzled grey. The flanks are buffy. The head, neck and shoulders are golden-mantled. The undersides are light grey.
Average adult measurements of both sexas are: total length, 287 mm (11.75 in); tail, 102 mm (4 in); weight, 231 g (8 oz). Alberta females average slightly heavier than males.
Its range is the central mountainous areas of western North America. In B.C. and Alberta it occurs in the Selkirk and Rocky Mountains, north to just above Jasper National Park. In Canada, it occurs at elevations from 1525 to 2400 m (5000 to 8000 ft). There, in the high foothills and mountains, it prefers open sunny forests of Douglas-fir and Engelmann Spruce with an abundance of fallen logs, exposed rock and low shrubbery. You may also find it above treeline, up on the tundra, amongst rock slides, at least in summer.
This friendly ground dweller may greet you when you meet it in the mountains, hoping for a handout. When it runs it holds its tail at a 45 degree angle above the ground. It prefers warm sunny weather, being active only between sunrise and sunset. It spends much of the day stretched out, sunning itself on a rock. On cool days it may not appear until the dew has evaporated and may stay in all day when it is cold, windy or rainy. On hot days it may seek the refreshing shade of its burrow at noon.
It digs its burrow with the entrance under rocks, logs or shrubs, scattering the loose, excavated soil without leaving any evidence of its presence. The tunnels averages one metre but may be up to five metres long, and is about .50 metres below ground. Two or more entrances, with connecting tunnels, are common. The nest, near the end of the tunnel, is composed of shredded leaves, conifer needles and dried grasses.
Their diet consists of a wide array of vegetation (seeds, roots, leaves and flowers of native plants) and of underground fungi (in one study, fungus represented 65 per cent by volume in summer and 95 per cent in the autumn). As well, they consume up to 16 percent arthropods (grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, ants, flies and butterflies) during the summer. In late summer, they pack seeds, commonly those of conifers, into their cheeks pouches until they look like they have mumps, carrying these to their underground caches.
They enter hibernation in early September. At that time they may weigh 275 g (9.62 oz), but are down to 225 g (7.87 oz) when they emerge in mid April. During hibernation, they arouse periodically, from five to sixteen days apart, staying awake for two to twenty-four hours, during which time, they consume only trace amounts of food and water. They urinate before going back into hibernation.
Males appear above ground for the first time about mid April; the females about two weeks later. Mating takes place shortly after. The gestation period last 27 to 28 days, when four to six blind young are born. The young are weaned when they are about 40 days old. They are sexually mature when exiting their hibernation quarters the next spring.
http://weaselhead.org/profile/?s=564 |
Bass, Silke, Tamrock, horia, lovenature, MMM, pablominto, Debz, tiklod, Ena has marked this note useful
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- Bass
(974)
- [2007-10-11 17:45]
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Hi Rick,
look at it!!! I´m in love...
Really nice picture, just for the portrail. Very nice composition, great use of light, excellent focus, very well done!!!
regards
TFS
Brenda
hi rick!
it stands fine there in the
fine lightning,good composition
and a nice background!
well done!
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- horia
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749]](https://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(16656) - [2007-10-12 5:38]
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Hi Rick
Talk about a mouthfull :))
This is splendid shot with an excellent timing to it! I really love the pose you managed to get here from this cute and amusing ground sqirrel. The place where it is also allwed you for such a nice composition and such a great BG, showing teh surroundings and its habitat.
All the colors are lovely and the exposure is very well managed.
Great work!
Bravo and TFS
Horia
Hi Rick
LOL...can this little ground squirrel get any more seeds in his mouth. I sure love how he's perched on top of the lichen covered rock. Excellent DoF. Nice lighting, it almost creates a halo around this little darling. Very cute. Photo contest quality...hint hint hint.
TFS Janice
Hi rick,
Super, il fait ses provisions pour l'hiver, très belle composition, magnifiques couleurs.
Bravo
Marie
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- pirate
(7474)
- [2007-10-12 11:05]
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Hi Rick
compo just perfect with beautifull lichens, and there is even an animal sitting on them ;-)
great
tfs
tom
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- MMM
(11425)
- [2007-10-12 14:44]
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Hi Rick
Nice compsosition.The image is sharp whit good details and nice colors.I like the POV and DOF of your image,
TFS Michel
hello Rick
very good shot of this ground squirrel on the hillock,
very nice pose by the animal and he is framed very well in the image,
i realy like the way this ground squirrel is framed on the image, TFS
Asbed
Hi Rick,
Oh my gosh, can that chipmunk fit anything else in his mouth??!! That is too funny! Cute shot. TFS
Donna:o)
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- arfer
![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0]](https://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-n.gif)
(0) - [2007-10-12 21:57]
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Hello Rick
I am very busy at work just marking post for now
Rob
Hello Rick
They are really preparing fro the winter now aren't they..! Putting on fat, storing food...
This is a fine fellow, nicely captured with great details in the well groomed fur coat...
Nice pose and a fine composition!
Greetings,
Pablo -
:-) OK-
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- Silke
(5458)
- [2007-10-13 3:49]
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Oh Man! That is just too funny!
I have to show this to my favourite trumpet player!
:)
Great timing, perfect posed, wonderful capture!
Superb work and very fine notes
TFS
silke
:D
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- Debz
(3307)
- [2007-11-13 4:58]
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Hello Rick, I have not seen your shots for some time, they all look great. This little Ground Squirrel has a wonderful watchfull pose and you caught a good moment with good pov and dof. The light is very good and great exposure on the foreground of the shot. I wonder if he has nuts stored in his cheeks? Nice and sharp and very well composed.
tfs
debz
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- tiklod
(3397)
- [2007-11-19 6:01]
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Hello Rick,
Thi title fits perfectly with this lovely picture you presents here!!! :-)
This squirrel is perfectly focussed and you shows great details! Light is vey fantastic. I like the red lichen against green BG.
Best regards and have a great Sunday!
Claude
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- Ena
(2454)
- [2008-01-01 9:23]
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Hi Rick,
Cute squirrel!
Good composition, and nice natural colors.
Regards
Ena
