Chipmunks had become much harder for me to find during my Arkansas outings. A morning visit to Wells Lake finally gave me another chance to photograph one.
Searching for a Chipmunk in Arkansas
I once saw chipmunks regularly while exploring the Ouachita National Forest. During the previous three or four years, my sightings had become much less frequent.
That change made me curious about places where I had found chipmunks before. On May 30, 2023, I visited the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center.
I began walking the trails near Wells Lake early that morning. Before long, I spotted a chipmunk moving through the underbrush.
Its stripes and bushy tail stood out whenever it crossed an open patch. Most of the time, though, it stayed hidden in the shadows.
I later moved toward the visitor center and its bird feeders. Another chipmunk was searching the ground for food nearby. It moved quickly between the feeder area, nearby cover, and several rocks.
The chipmunk finally paused on top of one rock. That brief pause gave me the photograph I had been hoping to make.
Photographing the Chipmunk From Ground Level
I found a comfortable position on the ground and waited. The lower viewpoint placed me closer to the chipmunk’s eye level.
I used a 500 mm focal length, which let me keep some distance. It also helped isolate the chipmunk against the soft background.
The animal had spent much of the encounter in shaded cover. The camera reached ISO 8000 as I worked with the limited morning light.
Camera and exposure details:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- Focal length: 500 mm
- Aperture: f/9
- Shutter speed: 1/320 second
- ISO: 8000, Auto ISO
- Exposure compensation: +0.3
- Support: Hand-held
- Location: Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, Arkansas
- Date: May 30, 2023
- Time: 8:13 a.m.
I cannot say why chipmunks have become less common during my forest visits. I only know that I do not see them as often as I once did.
That made this short encounter especially rewarding. The chipmunk gave me only a small opening before it moved away again.
It also reminded me of an earlier photograph from the same general area. That 2009 encounter appears in Chipmunk Under Bird Feeder.
Wildlife photography often depends on returning to familiar places and waiting for a brief opportunity. On this morning, a chipmunk on a rock made the trip worthwhile.