After being born underground, blind and hairless, after 20 days a litter averaging 5 babies surfaces, cautiously. On first day they barely make a step away from the hole, venturing a little more in the days to come.
Ground squirrels live in colonies like Prairie dogs, have an alert system to warn others within their "city" and to echo the alert through more territory. They have several "words" for different predator/danger types, as well as severity of danger. Some predators are chased by parents, like the baby-eating Roadrunner, a snake may get circled, and all disappear for a coyote sighting. There is a YouTube video of Prairie dogs (different species) closing the hole after a snake enters it. Hopefully they covered the other connecting entrances too. Another video shows a rodent being able to react/avoid a snake strike (a lot faster response than humans have).
Only the mother stays with young, and any males (including the father) are not tolerated, but then neither are non-family members on the "property", within the network of den entrances.
It is common for these squirrels to smell each other's faces, and either "greeting" a family member that way, or attacking the intruding visitor. This starts with babies as well (after a few days above ground).
They don't like rain, may not come out of their holes on cloudy days, and go to bed early and wake up later than birds do.
Thanks Ron, it's special to see just one eye peaking from a hole.... for a while. Sometimes so low that it's just part of the eye.
You get the 500mm lens pointed, maybe add 1.4x, then the head lifts in a "ratcheting" non-smooth manner. Then a second eye of another creature appears.
Then 3rd
Maybe 4th... 5th
Then 6th on rare occasions.
Great information on these little critters. Your photographs are wonderful. Overall, a great post, and I look forward to seeing what you've got coming next.
