{"id":25522,"date":"2015-06-17T04:51:49","date_gmt":"2015-06-17T10:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=25522"},"modified":"2026-03-07T08:53:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T14:53:47","slug":"uinta-ground-squirrels-of-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/06\/17\/uinta-ground-squirrels-of-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Uinta Ground Squirrels of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"UintaUinta Ground Squirrel portrait from Montana – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Uinta Ground Squirrels are the most plentiful mammals I see during the spring and early summer months in the Centennial Valley.\u00a0 They are only above ground about three and a half months of the year and are very busy during the day gathering grass and seeds to store for when they are underground.<\/p>\n

\"CentennialCentennial Valley Uinta Ground Squirrel close up – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I love photographing these ground squirrels every chance I get and once in a while they will even cooperate and stay still, this one did.<\/p>\n

They are called “Potgut” in northern Utah though I don’t see why they got that name, they don’t appear to have a potgut to me.<\/p>\n

\"WelcomingWelcoming Uinta Ground Squirrel at the gate to the River Marsh Campground – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

At the gate to the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge three days ago there must have been a dozen of the squirrels and this one seemed to be welcoming me “home” while the rest of the Uinta Ground Squirrels<\/span><\/a> disappeared.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Uinta Ground Squirrel photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Uinta Ground Squirrels are the most plentiful mammals I see during the summer months in the Centennial Valley. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":171516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1513,223,12,608,1630],"tags":[4004,4026,4142,1631,5071,1632,4035,4046,165,3826,3827,2619,2620,5434,102,4032],"class_list":["post-25522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","category-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","category-uinta-ground-squirrel","tag-adult","tag-centennial-valley","tag-close-up","tag-ground-squirrel","tag-ground-squirrels","tag-mammals","tag-nature-photography","tag-portrait","tag-spring","tag-squirrel","tag-squirrels","tag-uinta-ground-squirrel-2","tag-urocitellus-armatus","tag-valley","tag-wildlife","tag-wildlife-photography"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-upright-mia-mcpherson-5415.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-6DE","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5194,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/17\/creatures-great-and-small-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":25522,"position":0},"title":"Creatures Great and Small – Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"There are many mammals to see at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, I haven't seen them all yet but I hope to one day. On this last trip I saw Moose, Elk, Skunks, Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, Foxes, White-tailed and Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmots, and Pronghorns.","rel":"","context":"In "Montana"","block_context":{"text":"Montana","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Moose with calf in Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-upright-mia-mcpherson-3749.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-upright-mia-mcpherson-3749.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-upright-mia-mcpherson-3749.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-upright-mia-mcpherson-3749.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15524,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/07\/31\/uinta-ground-squirrel-in-montana\/","url_meta":{"origin":25522,"position":2},"title":"Uinta Ground Squirrel in Montana","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 31, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though Uinta Ground Squirrels are called pests, vermin and varmints by some people I happen to like them a lot as photographic subjects.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sitting Uinta Ground Squirrel, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-sitting-mia-mcpherson-3705.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-sitting-mia-mcpherson-3705.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-sitting-mia-mcpherson-3705.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-sitting-mia-mcpherson-3705.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39932,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/06\/09\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-from-a-lichen-covered-boulder\/","url_meta":{"origin":25522,"position":3},"title":"Uinta Ground Squirrel Calling From A Lichen Covered Boulder","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I was very happy to photograph this Uinta Ground Squirrel calling from a lichen covered boulder last week in southwestern Montana.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Uinta Ground Squirrel, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":103822,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/03\/adult-uinta-ground-squirrel-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":25522,"position":4},"title":"Adult Uinta Ground Squirrel Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I'm sharing some adult Uinta Ground Squirrel photos that were taken high in the Wasatch Mountains over the past month that I like a lot.","rel":"","context":"In "Summit County"","block_context":{"text":"Summit County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/summit-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Uinta Ground Squirrel on an old sagebrush stump, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-sagebrush-stump-mia-mcpherson-2147.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-sagebrush-stump-mia-mcpherson-2147.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-sagebrush-stump-mia-mcpherson-2147.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-sagebrush-stump-mia-mcpherson-2147.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":113643,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/06\/02\/roadside-baby-uinta-ground-squirrel\/","url_meta":{"origin":25522,"position":5},"title":"Roadside Baby Uinta Ground Squirrel","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I am completely unable to resist taking baby Uinta Ground Squirrel photos. These babies are simply that appealing to me, no matter where I find them.","rel":"","context":"In "Summit County"","block_context":{"text":"Summit County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/summit-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Baby Uinta Ground Squirrel in damp dirt, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-on-dirt-mia-mcpherson-4962.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-on-dirt-mia-mcpherson-4962.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-on-dirt-mia-mcpherson-4962.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-on-dirt-mia-mcpherson-4962.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}