Columbian Ground Squirrel, Canmore, Alberta
Submission for this week's
Thursday Challenge theme,
ground.
christine: We were gassing up the car for the final road trip back home to Vancouver from Banff National Park, and I popped over to the next door gas station buy a brand of bottled water I liked better than at the present station. On my brief walk over, I encountered a guy squatting down in absolute stillness focused on a particular spot on the ground. Curious as to why, I stayed still for a few moments watching him and the ground he was absorbed in. Surely enough, a little furry head popped up from under the ground. And then another a few feet away. And then yet another at the far end of the lawn. Unable to let such a prime moment pass, I temporarily forgot about my quest for bottled water and ran back to the car for the camera and zoom lens.
Then came the true test of will between the squirrel and I. I kept inching closer, to get the best shot I could. The squirrel, knowing my exact location even without directly looking my way, let me know exactly when I was just a little too close for comfort and popped back down below. Patience and time prevailed and I was allowed to squat down as close as I could to get a close shot. I think in all, we delayed our trip home by 45 minutes.... it was worth it.