Animal #58 — Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

spermophilus lateralis

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 — 3:45 pm

Battle Mountain — Goldfield, Colorado

I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo of this squirrel, but I knew I could expect to see one, so I knew what it was when I saw it. I was walking past the hut next to the first gold mine on the trail up Battle Mountain when the squirrel ran under the fence and posed momentarily on a railroad tie just down the slope. As I fumbled to bring my camera up, it ducked behind the tie. I waited for five minutes or so for it to reappear, but my time was short and I could wait no longer.

It disappeared under the railroad ties to the left of the fence. That’s what’s left of the town of Goldfield in the distance.

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