Late Summer is a great time to be a Chipmunk. By August many of the forbs of the field have gone to seed so food is abundant. Here a Chipmunk has found the seed head of Cow Parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium) ripe for the picking. Adept at climbing and balancing on a swaying stem, he takes his time selecting the best of the bunch to munch.

Cow Parsnip is also an important food for bears (black & grizzly) and elk.

Location: Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, MT