04.12.26: Chipmunk mouthful

‍Every time I post a photo of a chipmunk I always use the same step-by-step description of chipmunk photography: My eyes see a chipmunk and my brain says “there’s a …” (the chipmunk drops into hiding) “… chipmunk."

‍It's not easy to get shots of chipmunks. They don't spend much time in the open. Their color allows them to blend with their surroundings. And they are quick to head for cover when threatened. This survival behavior is important because there are a lot of animals hanging around the woods that eat chipmunks, including owls, hawks, coyotes, raccoons, bobcats, foxes, weasels, cats, dogs, snakes, and possibly others. An inattentive chipmunk can become a snack.

‍But I've managed to get some good shots through the years, lucky accidents when I'm in the woods or fields photographing birds. Chipmunks like wooded areas or fields near wooded areas, preferring locations with rocky terrain and shrubs to provide cover.

‍This photo of an ambitious chipmunk took patience on my part and a bit of predictability on the chipmunk’s part.

‍I saw this chipmunk struggling to carry a walnut on a limb a few feet off the ground, but the view was obscured by a variety of limbs and leaves. I held my spot and watched the chipmunk carry — or maybe push — the walnut along the limb, pause to regain its grip, then carry/push it a few more feet.

‍It finally reached a spot where I had an unobstructed view, and I grabbed this photo. Moments later, the chipmunk pushed the walnut off the limb, dropped to the ground, and dragged the walnut into the underbrush.

‍Chipmunks can be found resting in trees, but they live in burrows they dig underground and spend much of their time at ground level.

‍A chipmunk’s burrow can be very elaborate, according to the Ohio Animal Companion website:"Eastern forest floors are dotted with 1½ – 2 inch holes, which are usually the humble openings to a chipmunk’s complex system of tunnels and chambers. These underground dens can be up to 30 feet in length, and as time goes on, many rooms are created to serve different domestic purposes. There are separate ‘rooms’ for sleeping, for waste, and for storing food. The basic bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen are covered, with more chambers added throughout a chipmunk’s life. When more space is required, chipmunks can simply dig and remove soil from the burrow using their specialized cheek pouches.”