The youngest and smallest Yellow-bellied Marmots I’ve seen out of their den.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Five days ago I put myself and my new camera to the test while photographing a family of four Yellow-bellied Marmot pups and one adult in northern Utah. When there was a single pup in my viewfinder the animal/eye detection capabilities of the R5 were mostly a joy to work with but when I had more than one marmot and multiple eyes to deal with things got more complicated. I’d rather choose which eye to focus on rather than let the camera do it for me.
I quickly learned that in that situation I was better off to switch over to having a single autofocus point active without using animal/eye detection.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
There were at least four small and very young pups popping up and then disappearing in various places amongst the rocks so I had the distinct impression I was playing a photographic version of Whack-a-mole. Yellow-bellied Marmot dens typically have a main entrance and multiple concealed entrances so I never knew where or when one of the pups would make an appearance. It was exciting, fun and exasperating at the same time.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I thought this pup with the lighter-colored face was the cutest one of the bunch. But of course it was also the most shy so I got fewer photos of this one than the others.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The adult, presumably the female parent, kept her distance from the pups but she also kept a very close eye on them. I had the impression that she was trying to allow them as much freedom to explore as possible without being intrusive in their activities.
At one point she apparently saw some potential danger, perhaps a raptor flying overhead, so she let out a shrill whistle which caused all of the pups to disappear for a short while. But it didn’t take long for them to reappear so my Whack-a-mole game continued.
Yellow-bellied Marmots spend eight months of the year hibernating and even when they aren’t hibernating they spend most of their time in the den so I make the best use I can of every opportunity to photograph them. Especially when young pups are involved.
Ron
I considered rocky a great pet they can destroy and damage property and personal items if not managed. I rescued and raised him up and after going into torpor in my crawl space this last winter I released him where there is a isolated colony in the city limits.
They are adorable! Nice to know about the eye recognition.
Thanks, April.
They are some of the cutest critters…luckily, huge boulders go with them, or the darned pet sellers would be quick to sell them.
Ha, you’re probably right about the pet sellers, Patty.
They don’t make good pets. A family tried and we ended up with them at WRCNU and had to place them in a zoo.
Oh my, what a total delight this post is! As Lyle’s ditty suggested, the pics of these little cuties do bring us cheer — and, with the greenery and his/her relaxed pose, I’m especially fond of the one of the lighter-colored pup. A perfect springtime post, Ron — thanks❣️
That light colored pup was my favorite, Chris. But like many of my favorites, that youngster played hard to get.
Total heart melters. Even obscenely early in the morning (which it is here). Thank you.
EC, folks like the two of us who get up insanely early might be just a little bit crazy, ya think? Hope you get a nap today, like I’m about to…
Definitely crazy. No napping today sadly. Things to do, but fortunately no places to go. Nap well.
“Cute” is the word of the day. — there really is no other apt descriptor.😍
Marty, these days I find myself using that word more often than I really want to. I think I’m getting soft in my old age.
Eight months a year in hibernation. Wow. They are cute.
Michael, when I first learned it that number got my attention too.
A Marmot
is not
awake for long
They play and frolic
til day is gone
What joy to watch them
As we sit here
Where Ron has shared them
To bring us cheer.
Glad to know they bring you cheer, Lyle.
Those are sure cute little animals. I am sure it was hard to take pictures as they move around so fast. Did not know they spend 8 months underground. What a life!
Trudy, a lot of the time they were standing still. But when they disappeared it was impossible to know where and when they’d reappear.
Cute Cute Cute! Happy Easter Ron 🙂
You too, Kathleen.
Excellent post Ron. They sure are cute. I know very little about them and their habits. Will have to look them up to learn more.
Thanks, Everett. They’re pretty interesting critters when you get into their natural history.
I think that “cute” is the only possible word ! I liked the shot of the shy one with the lighter-colored face particularly for the green grass surround– makes the
rest of his fur even more warm and cinnamon-y by contrast…..
Kris, I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see green in my photos again. A lot of it won’t last long in this drought.
These are some great shots! Man, they are cute!
Thanks, Dick. They sure are.
Fun shots, Ron.. 🙂 Wouldn’t have thought about eye detection not working well for multiple critters – the “learning curve” continues – this was a good place to “figure it out” rather than multiple birds in motion methinks…. 😉 Young of most any species ARE fun to watch. 🙂
20 and snow this morning – we’ll take it! The snow anyway.
Thanks, Judy. Yeah, when there’s multiple eyes in the viewfinder I want it to be me who choses which one to focus on, not the camera.
I hope your water pump remained unfrozen through the coldest temperatures.
Pump caught a break today with some sunshine and I chipped a wider hole for it. Tonight will be the real test with single digits……. 🙁 Never been a problem this time of year before…..