Chipmunks were fairly common at higher elevations but were near on impossible to get close to as they would dart into cover the minute they laid eyes on you. The below are the best images I could get at Mt. Pinos where they were slightly less skittish than elsewhere.
California - November 2009
Non Avian Wildlife
Coyote
Sea Lion
Sea Otter
Black-tailed Deer
Chipmunk
California Ground Squirrel
Commoner than Chipmunk the California Ground Squirrel was also a little bit more approachable with several at the Tunnel View lookout at Yosemite just a few feet away.
Uncommon this Coyote was the only one photographed during the whole trip and as can be seen it was a fair ways off and in heat haze. Still better than no image.
California Sea Lions are quite common on the coast with several places having large accessible colonies to go a look. The pontoons on Moss Landing Bay had a stack of them. This small one, probably a female, pulled herself up the beach at Point Pinos whilst I was photographing the gulls there.
Several Sea Otters were at Morro Bay Rock has small pups perched up on their bellies but were unfortunately in the wrong place to get any photos of due to the light. One lingered at the nearby Marina, first image below, whilst a large gathering was a Moss Landing where all the remaining images were taken. They are not difficult here, just take the Moss Landing State Beach road and view from the car park at the end, superb.
On a very few Black-tailed Deer were seen during the tip with these two at Goat Rock Beach, near Jenner, approach road at first light, hence the overly warm tone to the images.