When I went over the Beartooth to Pryor Mountain recently, I stopped at the rest and viewing area on the Montana side of the mountain.
Along the rock wall that lined the parking lot dozens of chipmunks ran around begging for food and they were getting quite a bit of attention from some folks. The little critters (and some bigger ones too, like this one, which is a Golden-mantled ground squirrel (thank you Judy!)) were quite brazen and while I was trying to set the tripod up to photograph one that was in a tree doing wild chipmunk things, like eating nuts, they were trying to crawl up my leg.
But, I would not give them anything. Actually felt sort of weird to have a chipmunk try to crawl up my leg – not real pleasurable. Well, once they are rejected, they take off and find the next sucker that has food for them.
The way that the chipmunks were crawling near people’s feet I was wondering how many little kids and adults accidentally step on them. And, I am sure that many get run over by people who don’t know they are under the car looking for food.
But, as I said, I found one that was doing wild chipmunk things and that suited me much better.
Managed to take quite a bit of video of this one and some of the birds in these trees.
It is not often that I get to photograph birds at close distances and in beautiful settings, such as the trees on top of the Beartooth and so, despite the fact that the wild horses were calling, I spent about an hour watching and photographing several birds.
But, of all of the birds that were in those trees, the Vireo was my prize. So hard to spot because they are tiny and fit right in with the color of the needles on the tree, I was absolutely thrilled to see one darting amongst the branches.
After a lot of long days in Yellowstone with virtually no photo ops, or rainy days with no light, it was such a treat to start my day in the snow on the Beartooth, watching Pika and then the birds. And then to end my day watching wild horses in Big Horn Canyon. It is important to have days like that – seeing as how I have not had one good photo op day since returning from that wonderful trip.
But, they are coming!
Just love birds and you captured their beauty and cuteness so well! I love to find Clark’s Nutcrackers when I’m in Yellowstone. I saw a documentary on them once and was amazed at how they store their seeds in the ground and then find them under the snow in the winter. Those little birds help plant big forests…soooo cool!
The bird photos are beautiful, but the ones that really got me smiling are ‘See ya!’ and ‘Yum!’.
I think I like ‘See ya!’ most of all, hahaha.
Thank you for capturing these great chipmunks!
Ilse
As usual, great photos, Deby. We have nuthatches here in MS and love to watch them walk down a tree. They also come to our feeders along with Carolina chickadees and lots of cardinals. Our favorites are the woodpeckers after the suet.
Your trip to Pryor Mt. Has given us another destination to add to our list of places to see-must see Devil’s Canyon after that gorgeous photo you posted. Guess we’ll do that from Cody.
The squirrels and chipmunks are so cute, and obviously many people don’ t realize they will bite. Thank you for your stories and photos of your adventures.
They are All awesome! Getting me a bird lesson too!!! Thanks! 🙂
White-breasted Nuthatches are a blast to watch. Love the way they walk head first down a tree and they look so formal with their black and white get-ups. Also, I’m thinking Ruby-crowned Kinglet. They’re in your area in the summer, legs and especially feet orangish, short, thin, finely pointed bill points to RCKI. Awesome little birds.
Bet that you are right and I am very excited about that. Thank you.
Thanks to both of you! I thought that was a big fat chipmunk that had gotten too much to eat! But some folks are saying that the green bird is a Ruby Crowned Kinglet.
Beautiful photos Deby! You might want to change a couple of names though. The first 2 “chipmunks” are golden-mantled ground squirrels. They are larger than chipmunks and only have lines on the sides of their body. The black-capped chickadee is a mountain chickadee because of the stripe across its eye. Love that you got it with its feet off the ground! I also love how many white-bark pine cones you shot. They are not nearly as common as they used to be and as you know provide a lot of nourishment to grizzlies, black bears and a lot of birds. Did you notice the reddish look to the Clark’s nutcracker’s face. I’ve never seen it before. I wonder if it is because it has had its face in so many white-back pine cones? The vireo is a Cassin’s vireo.
I believe your mystery bird is a white-breasted nuthatch. I’m looking at my Sibley field guide and I know that nuthatches like to walk straight down a tree.
This is a cheerful and sweet story. The accompanying photos are, as usual, fantastic.
Your mystery bird is common in our backyard in Wisconsin. It’s a white-breasted nuthatch.
Thank you! Not sure I have ever seen one before and it caught my attention enough for me to work on getting photos of it for quite some time.