Least Chipmunk (I think)

[Doug Herr]

It seems that mammal ID isn't given as much attention as bird ID... there are several species of chipmunk in the Sierra Nevada, I'm pretty sure this is a Least Chipmunk (Tamias minimus), but I'm willing to be educated in the details of Tamias identification:

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/mammals/rodents/lech00.jpg

Camera: Leica R8 with DMR digital back
Lens: Leitz 560mm f/6.8 with extension tube
Support: shoulder stock & monopod
Exposure: about 1/1500 sec @ f/9.5 using the camera's spot meter (manual mode)
Location: Kyburz Flat, Sierra County California
Date: 28 June 2009

[Robert Amoruso]

Doug,

Can't help with ID but I like how this turned out. Catch light in the eye, good head position. good look at the back stripping and tail, interesting looking rock and OOF BG.

[Alfred Forns]

Agree with Robert and can't help much with ID !!

Don't remember seeing a posted image from an R8 and digital back !!! Love that 560 its in a class by itself !!! Had an R7 and R 6.2 with mostly WA and short tele !!! .. memories .....

[Harshad Barve]

Nice one, I loved everything, Cant helpm on ID

Harshad

[Bruce Enns]

Very nice Doug, Yes, your ID is correct, it is a Least Chipmunk. I like the exposure, head angle and eye contact, the rock 'perch' with orange lichen and you did well with the comp considering the tail is down. If the tail had been up, I would have moved the chipmunk more over to the right to give more room for it to look into. Well shot.

Cheers!
Bruce

[thijs broekkamp]

Real nice picture! BG is nice, chipmunk is sharp. I would prefer a bit more space on the left.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Doug,
I am seeing an image through R8 in this forum for the first time. The background is uniformly diffused. I like the head turn. I would have preferred some more space at the left. Look forward to more.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Doug Herr]

Thanks for the comments and the ID confirmation! Sabyasachi, I've posted a few other photos:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39084
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39428
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39262

Bruce, do you have a favorite field guide to mammals? If you don't mind mentioning it, I'd like to know what field marks you used to ID this chipmunk.

[Morkel Erasmus]

wouldn't know much about the ID either as we don't have them down here but great shot Doug! pops really nicely...

[Sid Garige]

Wonderful background and perfect pose. A wonderful image of very common subject. Very well done.

[Stu Bowie]

Stunning light, sharp, and love the pose. I like the colours on the rock, and what a killer BG.

[David Fletcher]

Clean and crisp with good comp Doug! Very nice.

[Bruce Enns]

Hey Doug, sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I'm now less sure of my ID than I was the other day...I did a bit a research and it is often the habitat that provides one of the biggest clues. The Least is typically found in scrubby sagebrush habitat below the Pinyon Pine / Juniper zone. Is that the type of habitat in which you shot this? As for fieldmarks, you probably know it's a fair bit about the stripes, their colour, and how far down the back they go. Ear size plays a role, as does overall colour. I use the Mammals of British Columbia published by Lone Pine. They also publish an entire book about the squirrels of the west.

Cheers!
Bruce