{"id":39932,"date":"2016-06-09T04:32:04","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T10:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=39932"},"modified":"2026-03-07T09:00:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T15:00:44","slug":"uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-from-a-lichen-covered-boulder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/06\/09\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-from-a-lichen-covered-boulder\/","title":{"rendered":"Uinta Ground Squirrel Calling From A Lichen Covered Boulder"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CallingCalling Uinta Ground Squirrel – Nikon D810, f9, 1\/640, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I was very happy to photograph this Uinta Ground Squirrel<\/span><\/a> calling from a lichen covered boulder last week in southwestern Montana.<\/p>\n

I like these little squirrels a lot and don’t get to see them all that much because they are really only above ground for a few months a year. Also, I liked it because it was on top of a orange-red lichen covered boulder and it was calling out loudly.<\/p>\n

Maybe it was saying “I am not cold, don’t put me in the back or your vehicle!” or “Step away from the hot springs now!,” or “I’m smiling already, take the picture!”.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it was simply using its outdoor voice to warn other ground squirrels about the woman with the long lens peering at them.<\/p>\n

Care to add a caption?<\/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":"

I was very happy to photograph this Uinta Ground Squirrel calling from a lichen covered boulder last week in southwestern Montana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":171526,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1513,223,12,1630],"tags":[4004,4138,4072,5147,1631,5071,3291,3826,3827,2619,2620],"class_list":["post-39932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","category-uinta-ground-squirrel","tag-adult","tag-boulder","tag-calling","tag-chattering","tag-ground-squirrel","tag-ground-squirrels","tag-lichen","tag-squirrel","tag-squirrels","tag-uinta-ground-squirrel-2","tag-urocitellus-armatus"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ao4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":58306,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/06\/02\/tis-the-season-for-uinta-ground-squirrel-babies\/","url_meta":{"origin":39932,"position":0},"title":"‘Tis The Season For Uinta Ground Squirrel Babies","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been seeing baby Uinta Ground Squirrels and two days ago I was finally able to photograph some of the cute little balls of fur near their burrow.","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":"Calling Uinta Ground Squirrel baby, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4067.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-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4067.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4067.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4067.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":39932,"position":1},"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":99148,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/01\/21\/squirrel-appreciation-day-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":39932,"position":2},"title":"Squirrel Appreciation Day 2022","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day around the globe. There are many reasons to appreciate these furry, four legged, cute creatures.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Baby Uinta Ground Squirrel calling from a rock, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38355,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/14\/uinta-and-richardsons-ground-squirrels\/","url_meta":{"origin":39932,"position":3},"title":"Uinta and Richardson’s Ground Squirrels","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"By doing more research I found out that Uinta and Richardson's Ground Squirrels and the rest of the ground squirrels in North America have been changed to Urocitellus.","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":"Alert Uinta Ground Squirrel in the Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, 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":103822,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/03\/adult-uinta-ground-squirrel-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":39932,"position":4},"title":"Adult Uinta Ground Squirrel Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 3, 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