Leighton Moss 18-11-2018

Sadly never saw the American wigeon or the Great grey shrike but its been seen again today but not by me :( 

Got here at 8:00am and just as i went under the railway bridge i saw something in the water so pulled over and got the camera ot of the boot, not what I was expecting to see a Mink i reported it at the centre so they will deal with it.

Jim

  • Those are lovely Jim, well done on getting the photos and gettng them on here!

  • Well done for photographing this mink, Jim.  I'll speculate that it is a male.

  • Thank you CT and it was quite easy getting a picture it was so curious of me that it satup and smelled the air so I don't think its come aross many humans.

    I have no idea of the sex so if you say so Ann I will go with you :)

    Jim

  • Just a few before I go out, its very grey here but dry so will take a chance for another half day at least.

    Sadly I will have to resize all my files :( before they will upload.

  • Sorry you didn't find the GGS or AW but maybe better luck today;    great close ups of the Mink, but a pity they are considered such a pest.

  • Another day Hazel :) when I was goig to LM this morning it was quit nice so poped into Alan hide first, sadly not a lot showing only a Snipe which came close to the hide on the right and met a young chap there was only me and him for the morning and had my flask of soup and tea from the other and just before we left at noon a few chaps came in so told them what we had seen, Jeff had to go back home and as we were driving out the cloud went very dark and it looked like rain so came home myself and did it in good time, so with being up early i had a couple of beers and went to bed :) anyway here are the only pictures i took today, will get yesterday ready again after resizeing them :( 

    f

  • Lovely shots of the snipe Jim,  it did give good views.   Look forward to the other pics in due course.

  • Thank you Hazel, Bittern showing well at Lower hide yesterday too just before i got there :(

  • Beautiful Snipe, Jim.

    Re: the mink.  Most, possibly all, of the Mink in the UK are descended from imported American breeding stock.  Those we see here in the wild now are escapees or descended-from-escapees from Mink farms or are animals released from Mink farms (or their descendants) by so-called animal rights activists.  Male Mink are larger than females and have broad 'chubby' heads while females have narrower and more pointed heads (there will be a quiz later--lol!).  Female Mink are smaller, slimmer and appear more streamlined than males.  Ferrets are much the same and although a bit smaller than Mink, the same slight size difference of males and females is seen in Ferrets, too.  Should you have a chance to watch a Ferret race, it is likely to be one of the smaller more streamlined females who will win the race so place your bets on one of those!