Along the West River, a single Common Merganser drake was guarding his harem of eight hens, though I only got four of the hens in this picture. Some appeared a bit reticent toward him ...
Then they all got spooked by the long thing that I was pointing at them ...
But the highlight of the morning birding had no feathers. Along the railroad tracks near the boat launch on the Connecticut River, this mink came up the bank and started to cross the trestle ...
... then it became aware of some odd creature on the other side. Curiosity did not get the better; the mink retreated ...
The sighting of the mink sent me to resources about this mammal. Kaufman's Mammal Guide says that it is fairly common in marshes, rivers, & lakes. It sometimes appropriates the use of a muskrat lodge for its den, "often after killing and eating the previous owners." So, behind that sweet face is the soul of a foreclosure banker.
Good birding!
8 comments:
Hi Chris,
Wow it's cool that your are getting them back... i guess you are happy just as us with our migrants species... I love the mink pictures. We do have it here too. It was imported for their fur and then release in the wild when this stopped. Nobody thought they will do it with the winter but they did. I've never seen in the country thought!
Nice photos of the ducks. Here in our place pretty boring if comes to ducks, lol, we only got mallard. Oh well Canada goose makes up. Nice blog you have here. Anna :)
An interesting blog! I like the insight into the habits of the mink--how ferocious! I remember watching a family of minks, a mother and four babies, run down a hillside to a river bank in Missouri. They look so cuddly. I didn't know they could be deadly!
Kay
Fun merganser shots and what a nice surprise on the bank.
Your Mergansers are fantastic!
You must look very scary to get them take off so fast! LOL!!!!!
But the "must" is the Mink!
WOW! Makes me jalous!!! :)
Great catch, this one!
Cheers, Chris!
:-) Your last sentence was perfect. I'd love to be able to photograph one of these fellows. I've only seen a mink once, and it was a few years ago. Love the photo of the mergansers taking off in flight.
Wow that must have been great to watch that mink! Pretty cute despite its ruthlessness...
hee hee...I have never seen a mink..your first photo of it had me confused ..it looks like a furry snake..
great find.
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