We like to go down to sawyer park on some weekends, bring bags of in-shell peanuts, and "feed the Chippities".. being the Chipmunks.
They are very cute, they like in-shell peanuts (they like to chew through the shell and get that nut inside, and then come back for more) I've found that they don't like pistachio nuts however.
There is the Golden-mantled Ground-Squirrel, these are the most populous critters down there, and they will come right up to you and politely take your peanut from your hand. They will run away a few feet, or sometimes just sit right there, chew through and stow the peanuts in their cheek, and come back for more. :)
There is also the Merriam's Chipmunk. These are little masked marauders who are excellent at climbing straight vertical up rock faces and whatnot. They are not as brave as the ground squirrels, so you have to throw them a peanut.
The other species of critter out there I can't tell what it is, even with the help of almighty google :) It looks like maybe a sage rat, or prarie dog? But what do I know? They're about the same size as the chipmunks, a little bigger (and quite a bit more garfield-plump). They are greyish all over, not quite as spry as the chipmunks, and don't mind pistachios. They are also very cute, the ones I would feed looked like they were making up excuses to come down to you. I've gotten them to get a few inches away at the closest, I'll always eventually throw the nut to them.
Finally, the very young ground squirrles will come out too. They are so cute, and er.. dumb ;) They can't eat through the shells so I'll throw them some regular peanuts when they come out. They like to scamper around just like their parents, but their parents tend to scamper to useful locations, while the little ones will scamper kind of randomly and illogiocally.. getting themselves into all kinds of mischief. One of them stopped just short of scampering over a 10 foot drop! but they are still very cute :)
Posted by jesse at June 27, 2004 11:54 PM