Copyright © 2020 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
We don’t have squirrels with big bushy tails that live in trees here. This breed is new to me, but thanks to Steve over athttps://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/ for sending a link to a PDF on squirrels in my part of NV I think this is a Belding’s Squirrel a type of Ground Squirrel.
Wikipedia says this about the Belding’s Squirrel
“Belding’s ground squirrel (Urocitellus beldingi), also called pot gut, sage rat or picket-pin,[2] is a squirrel that lives on mountains in the western United States. “
I laughed out loud reading the nicknames or common names for this squirrel. Pot gut works for as much as they eat! 😂 Sage rat too for we do have a lot of that here!
This one wiped out an entire birdseed cake in less than 4 hours and got in a fistfight paw-fight with another squirrel for the birdseed! I wish I had my camera ready for that. It was hilarious. They were standing in between the slats of the fence on their back legs, and this one punching the other one. I thought that’s how kangaroos look boxing! The rival squirrel quickly conceded leaving this one to happily eat the whole thing!
We’ve been having high winds here so I’ve been indoors, but itching to get out. I hope to get out on Thursday for some birding. I hope you’re all having a good week so far.
Happy Hump Day!
Fuji X-T3| Fujinon 100-400mm| SanDisk Digital Film| PS CC 21.1.2
more to come…
Circadianreflections Blog 
great shot! that’s my first time seeing a ground squirrel! thank you for sharing🤍
Follow @everythingtips for tips and recommendations if interested! It would mean a lot to me!🥺🤍
Thank you so much!
What a great photo, Deborah!! Our squirrels eat all the birdseed within a day or two. They are so cute, but oh, so frustrating. 😉
Deborah, I had not thought about other names for squirrels until now. Speaking about winds, we had a bizarre, uncommon weather situation last week a few kilometres from our home. A rare tornado passed through a neighbourhood and launched a trampoline high into the sky. It was recorded on a resident’s front door camera. Supposedly, first tornado on the Island in over 50 years. It was a windy day. I hope you are your loved ones are well.
That’s freaky! We had a tornado a few towns over from where I used to live in Calif. years ago and that was really freaky. We didn’t consider ourselves as being in tornado country, but I suppose they can happen anywhere. As if Earthquakes weren’t enough!
I’m glad it was only a trampoline that tossed around!
Aren’t those names a hoot for the squirrel? I laughed out loud reading them.
We’re doing very well thank you! I hope you and yours are too! 😀🌺
🙏❤️
Yup: pot gut, sage rat, and picket-pin are great common names. It seems strange to have three such terms applied to a single little animal. In any case, I’m glad to have contributed to your meeting your SQ (squirrel quota).
😄
That is hilarious~ I can’t even imagine squirrels duking it out! Sounds like my neighborhood lately. A lot of the houses have recently turned over bringing in some rough characters. Add heat like we’ve suddenly experienced and you get all kinds of explosive behavior. Time to move but we’re just not quite there yet. Hope we survive the next few years.
I hope you do too! I know I was ready to move for a decade before we could. I used that time to detach from the house in my heart to be ready to move on after spending over 30 yrs in that house and neighborhood. It changed so much and not for the good at least not for us.
That is exactly what is going on here! Too sad. And that is so well put~the need to detach from the house you have loved for so long. It will be a wrench, I’m sure, but the rowdy neighborhood will make it easier. I’m so happy that it turned out so well for you.
It will turn out well for you too! You have time to plan and scout out good places to live. I’ll keep positive thoughts for you! xx
xo
That must have been a surprise to see. Lucky you! Who knew squirrels could be boxers?
It was hilarious! Thank you so much, Jennie!
You’re welcome, Deborah!
He’s cute! We trained a squirrel to take peanuts in the shell from our hand. (That was when we were without a dog!)
If Diva Dog were still alive and on guard I’m sure the squirrels would be a lot more cautious about entering our yard. 😀
What a tease! Fun photo’s.
LOL! It’s entertaining that’s for sure. Thank you, Susan!
MORE PICTURES OF THE SAGE RAT! Um…please? He looks very prairie-doggish, I think. I love their little fingers!
😀 He has long fingers doesn’t he. This morning he was standing on the rock pillar of my fence and the neighbor I share it with sent me a video of him having a fit yelling because he couldn’t reach the feeder.
😀 I love it!
He looks content 😊. Nice photo, Deborah!
🙂 It’s a fun story and an adorable photo, Deborah.
I rarely see squirrels here either. A few times I’ve seen one scamper across the back gate.
Over the winter, one time I opened the front door (to both my and his surprise) found the most unusual squirrel I’ve ever seen. He was much larger and fatter than the others here, and had the most striking coat and markings. I’ve never gotten a glimpse of him again.
Hugs on the wing!
He sure looks up to no good! 😅 Love the shot, Deborah!
LOL! Gluton is what he is. 😀 Thank you, Donna!
We love looking for squirrels when in the northern hemisphere countries, though I am told they are pests in some countries. This is one creature we never see here. How lovely to have a not so common little visitor. Cats especially ferule, destroy much of our wildlife, is that a problem there with squirrels Deborah?
They are pests and have been known to chew through power cables. This one just eats all my bird food! I’ve moved the seed cage, and I have squirrel proof feeder he’s tried to get to many times but hasn’t been able to get to it so far.
Happy Wednesday to you too! Looks like you had quite the entertainers visit you today. I had a different experience. I was potting up some plants right in front of my garage door, and a chipmunk went by me like a flash into the garage. He and I had a little action going on while I tried to get him out of the garage. I think you had more fun with your critters. 🙂
This one and a couple others have been entertaining. I don’t envy you having to chase the chipmunk out of your garage! I’m glad you got it out. 😀
Funny names for sure, Deborah. Nice photo
They are aren’t they. Thanks, John! 😀
😊
Pot gut??? PFTETOS (People for the Ethical Treatment of Squirrels) will be suing soon for hate speech crimes!! Squirrels love, love, love people who feed birds unless those people figure out a way to keep the bird seed safe. It’s all out war, that’s for sure. But they (the squirrels) are pretty cute when not stealing bird food. I’d love to see them fighting, though. 🙂 Had some incredible nature experiences this morning which will show up on the blog sooner or later. TTFN.
janet
LOL!!! That’s funny! I have a hanging bird feeder that is squirrel proof and I have it hanging on skinny pole. He’s tried jumping on the pole and get to the feeder, but he always loses his balance and falls of the the top of the pole. So far he hasn’t hurt himself, but I fear he might one day.
When we had a feeder, we had to finally use a pole with a baffle on it, but every so often, one of the squirrels would have another try…just in case!
😂
That’s a great photo, Deborah. I’ve never seen a ground squirrel, but I’ve seen gray squirrel fight with each other and even chase blue jays away from the food they desire.
Thank you, Dan! Seeing a squirrel fight a blue jay would be funny to watch!
Great photo of the little thief. He doesn’t look at all guilty.
Gutsy too. When I go out on the patio it doesn’t run far from the feeder and watches me until I go back in the house.