California Ground Squirrel

OneThree of four ground squirrels I saw, three outside the chain-link-enclosed area where they seem to live.

California Ground Squirrel

This one was looking around outside the fence before it ran inside, joining another one that I hadn’t seen until they both started moving.

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California Ground Squirrel California Ground Squirrel

This one was eating, then ran back to the fence for safety as I got closer, looked around for a bit before diving inside.

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California Ground Squirrel
This one was darting around the lawn nearby.

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California Ground Squirrel

Hungry Squirrel / Guard Duty

I went to the same park again today. I spotted a Fox Squirrel eating a pine cone in a tree elsewhere in the park, and a California Ground Squirrel standing guard outside the enclosure’s chain link fence.

Seriously, it. did. not. move. for several minutes while another ground squirrel ran inside the fence and waited, and I moved to a better angle for photos, until it abruptly turned around and ran through or under the fence.

#squirrel #photo #nature

A brownish squirrel with a bushy tail perched on a pine tree branch and eating a cone.

A light gray squirrel with a mottled coat standing up in the grass in front of a fence, looking into the distance.

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Fox squirrel on iNaturalist
Ground Squirrel on iNaturalist
Another Ground Squirrel on iNaturalist

California ground squirrels looking out from their burrows and climbing around on the tree stumps.

A week later, all the weeds in the enclosure where I saw the hawk have been cleared out and the feral palm trees cut down.

That’s probably why I was able to get a clear view of some of the ground squirrels, looking out from their burrows and climbing around on the tree stumps.

#squirrel #nature #photo

A California Ground Squirrel, light brown and gray, poking its head out of a burrow surrounded by dried grass.

Two ground squirrels, light brown and gray, with mottled patterns on their backs and narrow tails, sitting on a palm tree stump.

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At the same park where I spotted a Cooper’s Hawk and a ground squirrel a week or two ago, in a fenced-off area around a pair of electric transmission towers. Since then, all the weeds and feral palm trees have been cleared out, leaving nearly bare ground, but the squirrels are still there, climbing around on the stumps and burrowing.

Single squrirel on iNaturalist
Pair of squirrels on iNaturalist

I saw this squirrel a few lots down the street while I was out walking.

I saw this #squirrel a few lots down the street while I was out walking. It paused. I paused. I got my camera out. It stood up to look around. I kept my camera out. Then it slowly ran down the street almost but not quite in my direction until it passed about 4 feet away, then paused in the shade before continuing on its way. I think it started trying to determine whether I was a threat or not, and then whether I was likely to give it food or leave it alone. #nature

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On iNaturalist

California Ground Squirrel

California Ground Squirrel

California Ground Squirrel

I see tree squirrels around town all the time, but this is the first ground #squirrel I’ve spotted in ages. You can tell by the narrower tail. and the pattern of the fur.

And when I moved too fast it dove into the hole instead of running off.

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I’ve seen so many tree squirrels since I started on iNat, I can’t even remember the last time I saw a ground squirrel. At least, I think it’s a ground squirrel – something about the head shape, plus the narrower tail. And the iNat AI seems to agree.

Plus it was sitting in a hole and rushed underground instead of running away when I moved too quickly.

On iNaturalist