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Chipmunks and Corn


Chipmunks and Corn
Photo Information
Copyright: Francine Malo (NinaM) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-06-17
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS350D/Digital Rebel XT, Canon EF 70-200mm f4 L USM
Exposure: f/4, 1/100 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-04-04 9:16
Viewed: 1245
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Of the small animals living on our backyard, my favorite is the little chipmunk. I don't know how many of them live here, maybe one, maybe more, as I only see one at a time. These little mammals live underground and hibernate. Very soon, when the snow melts down, we will see them running around on the backyard, bringing food and what's needed to build the nest to comfort... and probably have baby chipmunks.

They are not tame animals but easier to observe than squirrels. When we sit outside, they may run under your chair with their mouth filled with seeds. They love peanuts, sunflower seeds and most of all, CORN.

Corn is a delicacy for quite a few animals here: the blue jays love it, so do the crows, the woodpeckers, the squirrels and the chipmunks. Worth mentioning are my favourite rascals, the racoons.

One spring, we came from Montreal to spend the week-end here in St.Alphonse. The snow had melted down quite a bit but there was still some on the ground, like a crust of ice mixed with snow. What a surprise to find, right beside the stair, close to the handrail of the balcony, a big trace of an animal. Looking closer at it, we just couldn't believe it: it was the paw of a bear! I have posted in the workshop a picture of it! I guess this bear awoke and was very hungry and he sniffed the goodies around our backyard, all the seeds and peanuts. anyway, I would be very surprised to go out one day and come face to face with one of those cute teddies.

Back to the chipmunk, there are two species in North America: the Eastern Chipmunk like the one on the picture, common to the south-east of Canada and eastern US down to South Carolina. In French, we call them "suisse". There is also the Least Chipmunk (suisse du Nord) found from south-west Quebec to Yukon and part of Western US. I have never seen any here, too far east I guess.

When hibernating, he wakes up about every 6 days to clean itself and eat a little. I always leave some peanuts and seeds for him in the shed during winter. The peanuts might stay there many days and suddenly, it has disappeared. They are hard-worker too, those chipmunks, digging underground and gathering food all day long. The Eastern Chipmunk seldom live more than 3 to 4 years, maybe 5 to 8 in captivity. That means that since we come here, for the past 6 years, two generations of chipmunks stayed in the shed.

As you can see in this picture, they managed to get some holes in the shed's walls in order to come out where they need to in order to reach the food they want, either close to the corn stand or close to the feeder at the corner of the shed.

I just love these beauties and I look forward seeing them again this summer.

Thank you for reading,

Francine
ISO 100
pekkavalo1, Luis52, eqshannon, gracious, CeltickRanger, angela926, Adanac, Gert-Paassen, bobair, goldyrs, marhowie, valy67 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Francine,

Very nice picture of a Chipmunk. You can see the eagerness in his eyes. Good composition and sharpness of details.

TFS

Pekka

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1026 W: 5 N: 2888] (10447)
  • [2008-04-04 9:47]

Hola Francine.
Bella foto. La mirada de la Ardilla hacia la mazorca de maiz es muy hermosa, la pose genial.
Muy bonita la foto Francine.
Saludos
Luis52.

Hello Francine
Now this is a fantastic picture of a chipmunk..The agility of them is so well shown here with him twisting and looking up at his imminent feast...He is what I would call..Proper Cute!!..Now as for this bear print...be carefull!!...Im sure they look like teddies but love a food source when time are hard..Please dont be that food source!!
I wish you a fantastic weekend
Paul

Hi Francine,
Very nice capture of this chipmunk. Nice composition and sharpness.
TFS
Wei

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2008-04-04 11:30]

Hello Francine,
a darling shot, made me laugh when I saw those longing eyes peak up to the corn. This little fellow has it's work cut out to reach the goal.
Lovely composition.
TFS..Sky

Corn is a staple in so many places...this chipmunk looks VERY much interested. They are a playful lot, chipmunks...they also liked to gather pine nuts and put them on the engine of my car. For many months I wondered why my car smelled like pine....until I discovered tech pine nuts heated in my engine compartment and blowing into the cabin via the filter!
Your focal point is perfect and the slightly oof corn gives it an almost unreachable look!:-)
Bob

Bonjour Francine,
Chipmunk, my favorite and cute animal always!
very good closeup of him that I really enjoyed looking!
the image is sharp with good colour and detils
many thanks for the sharing
merci
Tony

Hello Nina,
Really adorable shot, very nice composition and point of view, beautiful colors, nice light and very good sharpness.
Angela

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
  • [2008-04-04 19:45]

Hello Francine,
What a darling little one, I love the anticipation on its face.
You treat your wildlife well my friend, just remember the bear is afraid of you as you are of him, DO NOT run.
Rick

Hi Francine,

good composed, beautiful colors and good of sharpness.
Lovely Chipmunk.

regards Gert

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1888 W: 245 N: 6180] (22002)
  • [2008-04-05 8:16]

Aaah now that is cute!!! :-)
Very nice image of this Chipmunk!
I love the composition.
Sharp and crisp.
Nice light too.
Great notes!
And to the workshop... YIKES!

Cheers,
Joe :-)

Hi Francine,
interesting shot, nice shot. Very pure and sharp shot.
I would crop it different. Well done. tfs. Stev

bonjour Francine

belle image de cet adorable petit animal, excellent POV
avec de superbes netteté et détail de l'animal,
personnellement j'aurais plus tôt croppé plus serré
pour enlever le maïs de l'image,
et puis WOW ! j'adore cete image du trace de l'ours, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • bobair Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 384 W: 84 N: 1259] (4614)
  • [2008-04-07 18:40]

Hi Francine,
what a charmer and so cute is this little chipmunk.I like the interesting point of view you have given this shot and the focus is nice and sharp on this little one.I would of liked to see the whole image in focus for the corn is not as sharp as it could of been but it is a charming photo just the same.Thanks for sharing this little sweetie. Bob

Between your shot and Bobs' critiques, you've got it all covered..the reverse is true as well, if you know what I mean...Every shot of yours is a story in itself,Francine, which you amply display in the notes, on the other hand, Bob's wit and his sense of aesthetics is beautiful as well, and when we have both of you on one page, irrelevant of whose shot it is, among the two of you...it creates a wonderful experience...
Another exemplary shot from you, complete in every sense of the word...
Goldy

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-04-08 10:31]

Hello Francine

A very cute shot of this chipmunk.
I love the way it is looking up at the cob of corn.
Nice colours.
Lovely composition that tells a story.
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • cako Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 471 W: 0 N: 511] (2465)
  • [2008-04-12 1:23]

Hi Fancine
this is very nice composition
very good sharp
well done.

Cute shot Francine,
This little guy is definitely eyeing the prize :)
Great color, detail, exposure, and an interesting composition also.
Well done & TFS,
Howard

Bonjour Francine !
Trop mignon ! J'adore cette image, avec ce petit écureuil qui veut chiper du maïs. Sa pose et l'expression sur son visage sont adorables. J'aime beaucoup aussi la composition de l'image, le POV, et les jolis détails sur l'écureuil. Félicitations !
Valérie.

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