{"id":45415,"date":"2017-03-08T05:59:07","date_gmt":"2017-03-08T12:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=45415"},"modified":"2023-04-11T05:57:36","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T11:57:36","slug":"revisiting-the-mercur-canyon-rock-squirrel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/08\/revisiting-the-mercur-canyon-rock-squirrel\/","title":{"rendered":"Revisiting The Mercur Canyon Rock Squirrel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RockRock Squirrel sunning on a rock – Nikon D500, f11, 1\/800, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I was in the West Desert canyons again yesterday looking for birds and although I found some most of them were too far away to get high quality images. I saw a large band of Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays I would have loved to have photographed but they stayed out of the reach of my lens. They sure were noisy!<\/p>\n

While up in Mercur Canyon I caught a flash of browns and grays on top of a rock and realized I was seeing the Rock Squirrel I photographed on the same slope last month<\/span><\/a>. At first the squirrel was sunning itself on top of a rock and I took quite a few photos of it there.<\/p>\n

\"RockRock Squirrel on a rocky slope – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Then the Rock Squirrel became more active and started to move on the slope to other locations. While watching the squirrel I saw a few areas with mounds of dirt under the rocks that might be entrances to its burrow but the squirrel didn’t approach the entrances.<\/p>\n

\"RockRock Squirrel on lichen covered rocks – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This is my favorite image of the series of photos I took of the Rock Squirrel yesterday because I can see the whole length of the squirrel, I have lovely eye contact, the light was beautiful, plenty of fine details show in the coat of the squirrel and its surroundings plus the lichens on the rocks add lots of visual interest.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Rock Squirrel in Mercur Canyon – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The squirrel moved over talus slopes and boulders and would stop often to look around. It may have been looking for predators from the sky, I know there are a couple pairs of Red-tailed Hawks in the vicinity plus Golden Eagles in the canyon too.<\/p>\n

\"AlertAlert Rock Squirrel – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The squirrel moved up the slope and over the lichen encrusted rocks. There were times I’d lose it when it went under the junipers growing there or when it went behind the rocks but it kept popping back into view as it scurried along.<\/p>\n

\"RockRock Squirrel on a large boulder – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The squirrel didn’t seem to be foraging for food so I am not quite sure what it was doing. I was happy to photograph it where ever it went though and I was pleased with all of the different settings I have in these photos.<\/p>\n

\"RockRock Squirrel up a hill on a lichen covered boulder – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Then it moved much further up the slope and seemed to be enjoying the warmth of the sun again. I think I will venture back to Mercur Canyon a couple of times in the next few months to see if this Rock Squirrel<\/span><\/a> will raise a family there. It would be fun to photograph the young squirrels playing on the slope.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

While up in Mercur Canyon I caught a flash of browns and grays on top of a rock and realized I was seeing the Rock Squirrel I photographed on the same slope last month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":112402,"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":[2998,5661,358,26,1314],"tags":[4004,4540,4138,3291,5662,5663,4470,1439,3826,3827,5036],"class_list":["post-45415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mercur-canyon","category-rock-squirrels","category-tooele-county","category-utah","category-west-desert-utah","tag-adult","tag-alert","tag-boulder","tag-lichen","tag-otospermophilus-variegatus","tag-rock-squirrel","tag-rocks","tag-rocky-slope","tag-squirrel","tag-squirrels","tag-sunning"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-mia-mcpherson-1880.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-bOv","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":44963,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/02\/14\/mercur-canyon-rock-squirrel\/","url_meta":{"origin":45415,"position":0},"title":"Mercur Canyon Rock Squirrel","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I didn't have much luck at all with birds yesterday in the west desert canyons but I did spot and photograph a Rock Squirrel in Mercur Canyon.","rel":"","context":"In "Mercur Canyon"","block_context":{"text":"Mercur Canyon","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/mercur-canyon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rock Squirrel on rocks in Mercur Canyon, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-on-rocks-mia-mcpherson-5629.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-on-rocks-mia-mcpherson-5629.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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in a Fragrant Sumac, Stansbury Mountains, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-sumac-mia-mcpherson-1428.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-sumac-mia-mcpherson-1428.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-sumac-mia-mcpherson-1428.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-sumac-mia-mcpherson-1428.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":18480,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/01\/08\/mercur-canyon-mountain-bluebird\/","url_meta":{"origin":45415,"position":2},"title":"Mercur Canyon Mountain Bluebird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 8, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday while looking for birds to photograph I was enchanted by this Mercur Canyon Mountain Bluebird male while in Tooele County, Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mercur Canyon Mountain Bluebird, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mercur-mia-mcpherson-3544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mercur-mia-mcpherson-3544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mercur-mia-mcpherson-3544.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountain-bluebird-male-mercur-mia-mcpherson-3544.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":111956,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/04\/02\/rock-squirrel-tree-topper\/","url_meta":{"origin":45415,"position":3},"title":"Rock Squirrel Tree Topper","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Almost three years ago, I photographed this Rock Squirrel perched in top of a juniper in the foothills of some sky island mountains in the West Desert of Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Rock Squirrels"","block_context":{"text":"Rock Squirrels","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/rock-squirrels\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rock Squirrel on a juniper on the West Desert, Tooele County, 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have taken Juniper Titmouse images, this titmouse species is still a bit of a nemesis bird for me. I just don't see them as much as I would like.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juniper Titmouse close up in a juniper, Simpson Springs, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/juniper-titmouse-close-up-simpson-springs-mia-mcpherson-3242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/juniper-titmouse-close-up-simpson-springs-mia-mcpherson-3242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/juniper-titmouse-close-up-simpson-springs-mia-mcpherson-3242.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/juniper-titmouse-close-up-simpson-springs-mia-mcpherson-3242.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":73703,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/09\/13\/rock-squirrel-resting-on-a-lichen-encrusted-boulder\/","url_meta":{"origin":45415,"position":5},"title":"Rock Squirrel Resting On A Lichen Encrusted Boulder","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I spent the morning up in the Wasatch Mountains yesterday where one of the furry creatures I saw and photographed was a Rock Squirrel on a lichen encrusted boulder.","rel":"","context":"In "Rock Squirrels"","block_context":{"text":"Rock Squirrels","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/rock-squirrels\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Rock Squirrel on a lichen encrusted boulder, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-adult-lichen-covered-boulder-mia-mcpherson-5937.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-adult-lichen-covered-boulder-mia-mcpherson-5937.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-adult-lichen-covered-boulder-mia-mcpherson-5937.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/rock-squirrel-adult-lichen-covered-boulder-mia-mcpherson-5937.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\/45415","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=45415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}