May 7th, 2006
wrong move
This afternoon, we spent a couple of hours walking along quiet trails in a favourite forest. Along the way, we encountered two young Chipmunks. One took the usual evasive maneuver of darting for the nearest rockpile to disappear between the gaps while shrilly chittering in alarm. Meanwhile, the other Chipmunk raced up the nearest small tree and froze about two meters above the ground. As I advanced, it stared at me – probably with great trepidation — then gazed up at the spindly branches. I got the distinct impression that it was doing a mental instant replay of the last dozen seconds in an effort to figure out how it blew its escape strategy. Lucky for the Chipmunk, I wasn’t looking for a meal and just shot a couple of photos before moving on. Had I been a fox, coyote, or any of the other creatures that might appreciate a Chipmunk dinner, this little guy would have been history. I had to wonder why he ran up a small tree in the first place? Why not do like his buddy and dive down a crack in the rockpile? Could it be fear of an encounter with a Black Rat Snake? Or was this just an error in judgment — a wrong move made in a moment of panic? I wonder if he’ll make the same move next time? I wonder if Chipmunks, like cats, have nine lives? If so, that’s one down and eight to go.
Tags: Chipmunk
May 8th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
What a great look on the chipmunk’s face. That is such a good observation and question, why did this chipmunk run up the tree, and not down the hole? I’ve always thought that the more curious the animal, the more likely it’s going to stay a moment too long and get nabbed by something else.