Camera Critters down by the coulee

Dick and Lindy like to take their daily walk at the coulee, where they meet other dogs out walking, and usually see many other different kinds of critters.

Photo by Richard Schear, copyright Kay Davies and Richard Schear

There are at least three of these critters in this photo, maybe five or six. We call them gophers in southeastern Alberta, but their real name is Richardson's Ground Squirrel. They come out in early-to-mid-spring for what seems like the express purpose of running around on our roads. They have underground burrows, many of which seem to be in the BMX bike park a block from our house. So far, they haven't caused too much havoc with the cyclists there. Lindy would chase these little fellas if she were allowed to do so, and more than once last year she put her head so far into a gopher hole she frightened her dad, who was walking her. He was afraid she wouldn't be able to breathe. She didn't do it at all this year.

Posted for the Camera Critters meme, hosted

each week by the very busy Ms Misty Dawn. Thanks, Misty!

To see other critters captured in the lenses of other cameras, please click

HERE!