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ATTENTION


ATTENTION
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1206 W: 1 N: 5305] (17901)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-07
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon 40D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Great Workshops [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-04-07 16:27
Viewed: 1201
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This Richardson Ground Squirrel was standing to look at a commotion between two others. If you get the idea, Springtime, Commotion.

Richardson's Ground Squirrel
Spermophilus richardsonii
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General Description

By Gustave J. Yaki


These small, cuddly-looking mammals, commonly but mistakenly called "gophers" really provide a food-supply service for many other hungry creatures. By converting the prairie grasses and other green plants into baby ground squirrels, these in turn become recycled baby Swainson's and Red-tailed Hawks, Coyotes and Red Foxes, to name a few. Ground squirrels prefer short-grass areas. Perhaps the new grass tips are tastier and more nutritious, but eating them also permits them to better see any approaching predators. When they detect one, they stand upright and emit a high-frequency squeak, inaudible to human ears, but heard by other members on the colony

Besides supplying food for predatory species, they provide other important services. Because theY live underground, in digging their tunnels, they bring up subsoil which contains trace minerals. This, and their body waste, always enriches plant growth. Their tunnels also aerate the soil and allows moisture (rain and melted snow) to readily enter the water table. Their burrows also provide homes for species unable to dig their own. This includes the very endangered Burrowing Owl, wintering snakes, other reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Ground squirrels, which are active by day, are true hibernators; they are also aestivators -- mammals that sleep throughout the heat of summer. Adult males first come out of their underground burrows in late February. They stay up during spring but go back to sleep in July, remaining there until the following February. (Do you suppose they get bed-sores?). They only spend about one-sixth of their year above ground. Adult females, which come up in March, retire by early August. Young females go underground a month later. Juvenile males retire from late October, into November or even early December, if winter comes late, trying to gain extra weight, needed in competing with adult males for breeding rights next spring. While in hibernation, ground squirrels awaken about once every two weeks.

Mating takes place in March, soon after the females emerge. After a gestation period of only 22 days, she gives birth to litter of 3 to ll young. The helpless newborns grow quickly and appear above ground for the first time when three weeks of age, near the beginning of May. A week later they are fully weaned, dieting on green vegetation, seeds, insects, and carrion -- often their own road-killed brethern.

They are one of 17 ground squirrels species in North America. Others occur in northern Eurasia. The Richardson's Ground Squirrel ranges throughout the grassland and Aspen Parkland regions of the three Canadian provinces, extending southward as far as northern Colorado.
CeltickRanger, gerbilratz, bobair, maurydv, ramthakur, PaulH, mariki, vanderschelden, eqshannon, jaycee, fartash, Luis52 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hello Rick

lovely shot of this attentive Squirrel, with fine POV and framing,
i love the POV at the level of the subject, the DOF is excellent,
and lovely sharpness and details of the Squirrel,

to improve your image's composition Rick, i did a Workshop, TFS

Asbed

Great looking squirrel Rick. I love the way he is standing, nice POV with good shadow at back. The DoF is good and an all round excellent composition. Regards h

Hi Rick,
a nice time of the season photo of the little rodent,I guess it is looking on for pointers or some such thing,lol!I do mind these little ground squirrels but there are some people who would burn down Alberta to be rid of them like that foolish fellow a couple of weeks ago did west of Calgary,tsk tsk.The focus is very good and as are the details and the point of view.I agree with Asbed about the flatness of the colours so I also did a workshop for my my take on this little critter.I shoot in both raw and jpeg at the same time and for the jpeg images I use picture style standard with the sharpness up to 7 and the colour sat to 2;the raw image is not effected only the jpeg image is,also for the raw image the software can give you the same sort of results as the "pre" edited jpeg image. Bob

Really funny and lovely!!!
Nice shot with excellent sharpness,

Andrea

Bellissima immagine, spettacolare il momento di cattura, bella la composizione, molto buoni i dettagli, i colori naturali e molto bella questa tonalità quasi monocromatica. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

The Ground Squirrel matches the earth colors in this picture, Rick.
It looks so cute standing on its hind legs.
The image is sharp and attractive.
TFS and regards.
Ram

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3762] (13407)
  • [2008-04-08 2:54]

Hi Rick,
another superb shot to add to your ever growing virtual menangerie! Lovely palid light and colour with a very cute pose. Detail and DOF are excellent, well done my friend!
Paul

  • Great 
  • jesst Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 373 W: 0 N: 172] (2421)
  • [2008-04-08 3:37]

Nice animal, wonderful capture!
Great detatil and sharp, TFS

Hello Rick,

Nice picture of this cute ground squirrel. Great POV, DOF and sharpness. Good light. I would have tried to increase a little bit the contrast.
Cheers,
Mariki

Hello Rick,
It is cuddly-looking:-)
Looks a bit like a Prairie dog; body is more compact compared to a Tree squirrel. Probably their habitat: prairie versus tree...
Well done
TFS
Annick

I have read quite lengthy stories on the study of their language which is quite unique...and we did indeed have some up very close to our wilderness cabin...super capture. they usually warn each other when you/me/someone comes near and disappear down one of their many holes...quite the diggers!
Bob

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2683 W: 11 N: 7301] (23103)
  • [2008-04-08 9:08]

Hi Rick,

This is an adorable squirrel posing like a prarie dog. He has the cutest face as he watches "the commotion." Good details and wonderful textures of his coat. He blends in very well with the background.

Jane

Hello Rick
Very nice shot of this cute Ground Squirrel,
Perfect focusing,composition and POV.
Superb shot my friend.

Regards
Fartash

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2693 W: 93 N: 6313] (19888)
  • [2008-04-08 12:40]

Hello Rick,
Beautiful sharp-detailed photo. A bit more contrast is possible, I think. Lovely pose and great POV. Excellent DOF.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1148 W: 5 N: 3543] (13101)
  • [2008-04-08 13:53]

Hi Rick.
Spring is here! wake up friends! We have to have You in a good photo.
Nice photo Rick. This little one is posing just for You. Great moment.
Saludos to your Family.
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1513 W: 9 N: 6007] (17866)
  • [2008-04-08 23:09]

Hi Rick

A great shot - good composition and closePOV with good colour and detail. Well observed and captured.

James

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2234 W: 188 N: 1912] (8073)
  • [2008-04-09 5:00]

Hi Rick,
Spring is in the air :-).
Wonderful shot of this Ground Squirrel, nice seeing it in full attention pose.
Great details and wonderful composition.
Sky

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3179 W: 162 N: 1471] (4331)
  • [2008-04-09 11:41]

Hello Rick,
I love the way these little animals stand up and keep watch. Very cute!! Great shot from a fine POV, sharp details and natural colours too. A little snag is the bright light but it's a fine composition.
Many thanks, Ulla

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1999 W: 226 N: 6845] (24733)
  • [2008-04-09 12:58]

Lovely image of this alert Squirrel!
I love how they hold their hands against there chest :-)
Brilliant pose.
Great sharpness too.
A little OE and flat but the WS's show how this can be improved.
Superb DOF.
Very well done Rick,

Joe

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-04-09 19:15]

Hello Rick

A lovely capture of this very cute Richardson's Ground Squirrel.
The POV is very good.
Excellent sharp focus and detail.
You had very good illumination with lovely natural colours.
TFS

Rob

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