Dusky-footed Woodrat, San Diego

Sally, my daughter, and I found a couple of Dusky-footed Woodrats uncharacteristically out and about in daylight, feeding on flower petals along the path in Tecolote Canyon Nature Park in San Diego, California. She almost stepped on one right at the trail-edge while looking at birds. I managed to get this shot through the thick foliage. I know. It’s a rat, and many people have a thing about rats…but it is one of our few native rats, and an interesting creature. It builds large domed nests of sticks and litter (and sometimes adds a tree loft in a nearby tree), often in villages or hamlets of a dozen or more nests (perhaps the origin of its common name, Pack-rat, though it is a solitary creature in all other ways), stores food, builds a separate “toilet” faculty away from the nest, has soft fur and furry tail. I find it appealingly cute…certainly as cute as any gerbil or hamster. 🙂 Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. 1/250th @ f4 @ ISO 500. Processed in Polarr.

2 Comments

  1. Reply
    Jack Gescheidt March 30, 2023

    Hi there, mother of Sally. Nice shot! With your permission, and only with it, I’d love to display your photo on my website, to help my activist efforts to save these guys in a Marin County forest targeted for destruction: http://www.TreeSpiritProject.com/CalFire
    Of course with your photo credit and hyperlink.
    If this might work for you? Let me know!
    Sincerely,
    Jack Gescheidt
    The TreeSpirit Project

    • Reply
      lightshedder March 30, 2023

      Yes you have my permission to use my Woodrat photo.

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