I think this might be the same chipmunk I saw (and posted to the blog) a few days ago, or perhaps its mate, as it was in the same vicinity this morning, and as a rule chipmunks stick to their home range. As I passed this large clump of choke cherry trees, I thought I heard something falling through the foliage. Sure enough, when I looked up there was this little furry critter in a clump of the berries. As I watched, it plucked the berries, stripped the flesh from the pits (that's what I heard falling through the leaves), and stuffed the pits into its cheeks. Neat! (Photos digitally modified.)
On Monday, I saw this little shape in the trail ahead of me, and discovered it was this chipmunk. I didn't notice its bulging cheeks until I zoomed in. Doesn't it look like it has a major case of the mumps?? (Photo digitally modified.)
I surprised this little fellow alongside the trail this morning as he was foraging in the grass. He scampered up this gray birch, ate his find, then stared at me for a minute before heading off into the tree canopy. I find the chipmunks to be as curious about me as I am about them.
Spring is approaching fast at the marsh. The ice is retreating from the shore, and several open spots were visible this morning on my walk. As I neared the entrance to the marsh, I heard a Song Sparrow and a Red-winged Blackbird sounding off - a sure sign spring is just around the corner.
I spied my little friend among the rocks again this morning. He was scrounging in the leaf litter for edibles, and the photo at top shows him ready to eat a nut of some sort. Right after I took the shot, he was startled by something in the woods below, and ran off into one of his holes among the rocks. I climbed down to see if I could find what had scared him, and heard this red squirrel scolding from a tree branch. Probably their territories overlap, and red squirrels are very defensive of their territories during breeding season. While I was below the tumbled rocks, I thought I'd see if I could find the chipmunk's holes, and while searching, this little face popped up. . .
Today was my first complete circuit of the marsh since the middle of January. It was really the first time it could be traversed with relative ease, except for the occasional stretches of fairly deep, soft snow. With spring just around the corner, I thought I might find some signs of the approaching season, and I wasn't disappointed. When I got to the section of the trail where a jumble of rocks spread out on one side, I kept my eyes peeled for a little critter that I know lives among them, and to my delight, he appeared. And while I was watching him (her?), what should I hear but one of the quintessential sounds of spring - the honking of Canada geese, flying high in 'v' formation, heading northeast.
This is a shot I've been hoping to get all year. I've seen the chipmunk run into his hole a number of times, but this is the first time I was able to catch him sitting in it! The hole, an entrance to one of his tunnels, is right in the path itself, next to a big clump of English oak trees - prime property when you're a chipmunk. Acorns are scattered all around the hole, evidence of his handiwork.
Yesterday I spied this little fellow in a big old apple tree at the marsh. Once he became aware of me, he didn't move a whisker. His cheeks were so bulging with whatever he had been collecting that he looked like he had the mumps! He probably was ready to stash whatever he had collected, but maybe he didn't want me to see where his cache was located...
