I returned from Austin to find that a rock squirrel had taken up residence on our Littleton farm, the first to do so since we purchased the property in 1990; since he appears to have a den beneath one of our old raised flower beds, he may have arrived last autumn and is merely emerging from hibernation.
Common throughout the Intermountain West, rock squirrels favor lower canyons and shrub zones of foothills, often denning beneath rock ledges; colonial for much of the year, they become more territorial during the breeding season. Omnivorous, these attractive ground squirrels feed on nuts, seeds, fruit, insects, eggs and carrion and I observed our current resident as he scoured the bird feeding area.
Often encountered across the lower Front Range foothills, rock squirrels descend onto the Piedmont along stream beds and I have previously seen them on the banks of the South Platte River. While one stream (Raccoon Creek) passes within a few hundred yards of our farm, I'm not sure how our lone resident found his way to the property. Perhaps he was following his nose to our annual crop of pinon pine nuts!
Common throughout the Intermountain West, rock squirrels favor lower canyons and shrub zones of foothills, often denning beneath rock ledges; colonial for much of the year, they become more territorial during the breeding season. Omnivorous, these attractive ground squirrels feed on nuts, seeds, fruit, insects, eggs and carrion and I observed our current resident as he scoured the bird feeding area.
Often encountered across the lower Front Range foothills, rock squirrels descend onto the Piedmont along stream beds and I have previously seen them on the banks of the South Platte River. While one stream (Raccoon Creek) passes within a few hundred yards of our farm, I'm not sure how our lone resident found his way to the property. Perhaps he was following his nose to our annual crop of pinon pine nuts!
