Ground Squirrel

Very cute!

That certainly goes a long way to explaining the lack of facial stripes.

Adorable!

Very nice shots! He's a great little poser!

I've done some more research etc. and I think I was right. See how the red colouration really doesn't extend much beyond the shoulders? I'm going to stick with ruficaudus. The other three species found in Canada have that red colouration much further down the back/belly. T.minimus has stripes that extend further down the back and I've yet to see a picture of one sans facial stripes. It doesn't have enough dorsal stripes to be amoenus. In addition to the colouration of the sides and being out of range for striatus, it doesn't seem to have a median dorsal stripe. Might just be a variant of some sort .. but if you add it all up then you have to conclude red tailed.

I would have said Eastern but you seem to be out of range. I don't think it is a least or yellow-pine.

Very cute!