I was replacing the bird seed bell and block up on the hill behind the RV drive, when this bold little white-tailed antelope ground squirrel (ammospermophilus leucurus) came up to within a few feet of me. It seemed to beg for some of the bird seed, so I spilled a few seeds on the ground which it promptly consumed. We see a lot of these around the yard and they, along with cottontails and jackrabbits, drive the dogs nuts. We keep our distance, however, since these cute little guys have been known to carry harmful diseases.
Wikipedia details more about these squirrels:
The white-tailed antelope squirrel, Ammospermophilus leucurus, is a diurnal species of ground squirrel found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and the Baja California Peninsula of northwestern Mexico.
This species of squirrel has an average home range of 14.9 acres, and utilizes approximately 4 acres in its daily activities.
Ammospermophilus leucurus is omnivorous, feeding primarily on foliage (10%-60% of its diet), seeds (20%-50%), arthropods, and to a lesser extent, vertebrates (mainly lizards and rodents; predatory behavior by ground squirrels has been noted).
