Squirrly Whirlly on the Lookout!

Aren't Ground Squirrels adorable?! I have always loved squirrels, but it wasn't until I moved to southern Oregon that I found out how destructive some of them can be. Ground Squirrels in particular, are problems because they can and will dig under your house's foundation, which can lead to expensive problems.

However, we capture them and drop them off many miles away, and while they are here, Steve and I love to see them running around and being adorable! This one hears the dogs out front and is looking to see if they will come around the side of the house! (Thanks to Jerry Jones for his awesome textures!! I used Painted Canvas 1 of 8 and Old Photo 5 for this, as well as some Photoshop filters. I needed to do a lot of work on this image to pop the squirrel out of that busy background and the extreme contrast changes of fore and background.)

From Wiki:
The California ground squirrel is a common and easily observed ground squirrel of the western United States and the Baja California peninsula; it is common in Oregon and California and its range has relatively recently extended into Washington and northwestern Nevada.

As is typical for ground squirrels, California ground squirrels live in burrows which they excavate themselves. Some burrows are occupied communally but each individual squirrel has its own entrance. Although they readily become tame in areas used by humans, and quickly learn to take food left or offered by picnickers, they spend most of their time within 25 m (82 ft) of their burrow, and rarely go further than 50 m (160 ft) from it.

In the colder parts of their range, California ground squirrels hibernate for several months, but in areas where winters have no snow, most squirrels are active year round. In those parts where the summers are hot they may also estivate (spend a hot or dry period in a prolonged state of torpor or dormancy) for periods of a few days.

California ground squirrels are often regarded as a pest in gardens and parks, since they will feed off ornamental plants and trees, and will burrow under foundations.