{"id":69531,"date":"2020-05-07T05:19:19","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T11:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=69531"},"modified":"2026-02-25T05:51:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T11:51:19","slug":"least-chipmunk-with-an-eye-issue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/05\/07\/least-chipmunk-with-an-eye-issue\/","title":{"rendered":"Least Chipmunk With An Eye Issue"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"LeastLeast Chipmunk’s left eye showing a corneal problem – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday I was up in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> social distancing, looking for birds and animals to photograph, and getting away from the news and negativity. Many of the birds I found were too far away to photograph or so active I couldn’t focus on them and<\/em> get photos before they flew away.<\/p>\n

But it was peaceful and I enjoy watching how the changes that occur in Spring happen so quickly. Some of the wildflowers are blooming and there will be more to follow.<\/p>\n

I found two new nesting cavities high up in a snag and had pulled over in the hopes that the birds that are excavating the cavities would show up. I suspect from the size and shape of the new nesting cavities that they are being excavated by sapsuckers or perhaps a Downy Woodpecker.<\/p>\n

While I observed the nesting cavities in the tree I also found a few Least Chipmunks in the ground, on stumps, and climbing in the shrubs below the new nest cavities.<\/p>\n

This Least Chipmunk was climbing in the shrubs and foraging on unopened flower buds when its right eye caught my eyes.<\/p>\n

The chipmunk’s eye looks like it has either sustained some type of corneal injury or has developed a cataract.<\/p>\n

The light part of its eye looked like an opal or moonstone. When I blow up the full resolution file I can barely make out my Jeep reflected in the chipmunk’s eye.<\/p>\n

\"LeastLeast Chipmunk’s good eye – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The chipmunk wasn’t close but I took photos of it for documentation. Neither of these photos will make it into my photo gallery because they are huge crops.<\/p>\n

The photo above shows the same chipmunk’s left eye and how the other eye should look.<\/p>\n

I observed this chipmunk for several minutes and I noticed that it didn’t seem to have any issues finding food and that it moved around the shrubs with the ease of a chipmunk without any visual difficulties. The Least Chipmunk was doing just fine.<\/p>\n

If I had been looking only at the new nesting cavities that I found I would have missed seeing this interesting Least Chipmunk but when I am in the field I am constantly scanning near and far for birds and other wildlife.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

This Least Chipmunk was climbing in the shrubs and foraging on unopened flower buds when its right eye caught my eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5922,4594,26,773],"tags":[3940,9845,9846,4383,5352,9847,9848,5767,5927,6809,5351,4069,2264,165,30],"class_list":["post-69531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-least-chipmunks","category-morgan-county","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-canyon","tag-cataract","tag-cataracts","tag-chipmunk","tag-chipmunks","tag-cornea","tag-corneal-damage","tag-eye","tag-eye-issue","tag-injured-eye","tag-least-chipmunk","tag-mountains","tag-tamias-minimus","tag-spring","tag-utah-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-cataract-mia-mcpherson-1185.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-i5t","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":58512,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/06\/11\/least-chipmunk-nibbling-on-some-food-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":69531,"position":0},"title":"Least Chipmunk Nibbling On Some Food In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been seeing more and more Least Chipmunks while I have been up in the Wasatch Mountains looking for and photographing birds and I always try to stop for them because they are so cute.","rel":"","context":"In "Least Chipmunks"","block_context":{"text":"Least Chipmunks","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/least-chipmunks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Least Chipmunk nibbling on some food, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-nibbling-mia-mcpherson-1028.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-nibbling-mia-mcpherson-1028.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-nibbling-mia-mcpherson-1028.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-nibbling-mia-mcpherson-1028.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":92125,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/13\/least-chipmunk-on-a-smoky-morning-in-the-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":69531,"position":1},"title":"Least Chipmunk On A Smoky Morning In The Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I couldn't escape the smoke that is covering Utah even high in the Wasatch Mountains yesterday but I was delighted to photograph a Least Chipmunk and wildflowers through the smoky haze.","rel":"","context":"In "Least Chipmunks"","block_context":{"text":"Least Chipmunks","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/least-chipmunks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Least Chipmunk crawling down a branch, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-asters-mia-mcpherson-9076.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-asters-mia-mcpherson-9076.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-asters-mia-mcpherson-9076.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-asters-mia-mcpherson-9076.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72340,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/01\/least-chipmunk-close-up-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":69531,"position":2},"title":"Least Chipmunk Close Up Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"When a Least Chipmunk popped up on a fence post that was so close I wasn't sure I'd be able to get sharp images of it due to my minimum focusing distance I still tried. I'm glad that I did.","rel":"","context":"In "Least Chipmunks"","block_context":{"text":"Least Chipmunks","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/least-chipmunks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Least Chipmunk portrait, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-tamias-minimus-close-up-mia-mcpherson-2921.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-tamias-minimus-close-up-mia-mcpherson-2921.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-tamias-minimus-close-up-mia-mcpherson-2921.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-old-wooden-fence-mia-mcpherson-5514.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-old-wooden-fence-mia-mcpherson-5514.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-old-wooden-fence-mia-mcpherson-5514.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-old-wooden-fence-mia-mcpherson-5514.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53253,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/28\/least-chipmunk-eating-utah-serviceberry-berries\/","url_meta":{"origin":69531,"position":4},"title":"Least Chipmunk Eating Utah Serviceberry Berries","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm always happy to photograph the other things I see while I am out photographing birds and that includes cute critters like this Least Chipmunk nibbling on the fruits of the Utah Serviceberry shrub.","rel":"","context":"In "Least Chipmunks"","block_context":{"text":"Least Chipmunks","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/least-chipmunks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Least Chipmunk nibbling on a Utah Serviceberry berry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-service-berry-mia-mcpherson-6626.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-service-berry-mia-mcpherson-6626.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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