{"id":74846,"date":"2020-10-23T06:26:15","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T12:26:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=74846"},"modified":"2026-02-25T07:05:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T13:05:08","slug":"least-chipmunk-grooming-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/10\/23\/least-chipmunk-grooming-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Least Chipmunk Grooming Session"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"LeastLeast Chipmunk with its tail over its head \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

These five images of a Least Chipmunk grooming session are some of the last photos of chipmunks I took high in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> in 2020.<\/p>\n

That morning I was busy photographing American Robins feasting on hawthorn berries when I spotted the chipmunk climb up the old fence post.<\/p>\n

I focused my lens on the chippie thinking it wouldn’t stay on the wooden post long because it was out in the open and exposed. The Least Chipmunk held its tail over its head…<\/p>\n

\"LeastLeast Chipmunk shaking its tail \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Then shook its tail a few times…<\/p>\n

\"LeastLeast Chipmunk licking its tail \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

After which the chipmunk proceeded to lick and groom its tail as I photographed it. I took a nice long series of the Least Chipmunk as it groomed its fluffy tail and selected just a few photos to share today.<\/p>\n

In this photo I liked how I could see the pink tongue of the chipmunk as it licked the middle of its tail while grasping it with its tiny paws.<\/p>\n

\"LeastLeast Chipmunk grooming its tail \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

And how in this image the chipmunk’s pink tongue is closer to the tip of its tail than it is in the photo above.<\/p>\n

I do wish the Least Chipmunk had been a little closer to me than it was but I was still delighted to see and photograph it where it was.<\/p>\n

\"LeastLeast Chipmunk after grooming \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When the chipmunk was finished grooming its tail it turned around on the lichen-covered fence post, flicked its tail and scurried down to the ground below.<\/p>\n

It has been a couple of weeks now since my last chipmunk sighting. They may be hibernating already.<\/p>\n

I didn’t take nearly as many photos of Least Chipmunks in 2020 as I have in previous years. I’ll try to make up for that in 2021.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

These five images of a Least Chipmunk grooming session are some of the last photos of chipmunks I took high in the Wasatch Mountains in 2020.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170389,"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":[5921,5922,4594,26,773,99],"tags":[4004,3940,4383,5352,898,716,751,5351,3291,10556,1632,4069,2264,10557,4502,5185,30,8917],"class_list":["post-74846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-east-canyon","category-least-chipmunks","category-morgan-county","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","category-wildlife","tag-adult","tag-canyon","tag-chipmunk","tag-chipmunks","tag-fence-post","tag-grooming","tag-hillside","tag-least-chipmunk","tag-lichen","tag-licking","tag-mammals","tag-mountains","tag-tamias-minimus","tag-paws","tag-shaking","tag-tongue","tag-utah-2","tag-wooden-post"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/least-chipmunk-grooming-mia-mcpherson-0704.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-jtc","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":104788,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/08\/05\/least-chipmunk-family-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":74846,"position":0},"title":"Least 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Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"While up high in the Wasatch Mountains two days ago I had the opportunity to photograph this adult Least Chipmunk on an old fence rail and I jumped at the chance.","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 on an old fence rail, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/least-chipmunk-on-old-fence-mia-mcpherson-7931.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/least-chipmunk-on-old-fence-mia-mcpherson-7931.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/least-chipmunk-on-old-fence-mia-mcpherson-7931.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/least-chipmunk-on-old-fence-mia-mcpherson-7931.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":111558,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/03\/24\/two-least-chipmunks-together-in-the-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":74846,"position":3},"title":"Two Least Chipmunks Together In The Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I was editing some images for a new project when I came across this photo of two Least Chipmunks side by side on a wooden post high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Least Chipmunks"","block_context":{"text":"Least Chipmunks","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/least-chipmunks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two Least Chipmunks on a post, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/least-chipmunk-summer-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/least-chipmunk-summer-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/least-chipmunk-summer-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5806.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/least-chipmunk-summer-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5806.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/least-chipmunk-in-spring-mia-mcpherson-1862.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/least-chipmunk-in-spring-mia-mcpherson-1862.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/least-chipmunk-in-spring-mia-mcpherson-1862.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/least-chipmunk-in-spring-mia-mcpherson-1862.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115226,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/17\/least-chipmunk-nibbling-a-serviceberry\/","url_meta":{"origin":74846,"position":5},"title":"Least Chipmunk Nibbling A Serviceberry","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago, while I was up in the Wasatch Mountains, I photographed this Least Chipmunk nibbling on a serviceberry that wasn't anywhere near ripe.","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 serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/least-chipmunk-eating-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-7649.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/least-chipmunk-eating-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-7649.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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