I decided to chop this trip into three posts. It didn't last all that long, but serendipity being what it is... As I was watching the common mergansers in their aerial acrobatics, I noticed a weasel run across the road from one side of the lake to the other. That got my attention. I walked over.
I found a long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata. It ran across the road as I was standing there. It went back across the road from whence it came.
As I watched it leave, I turned back to the water, and found there was another one! I had my zoom lens on the tripod, and it was tricky, but rewarding. It wasn't as fast as other critters, and was quite curious and/or tolerant of me.
It ran up and down the rocky shoreline.
I watched it capture a frog in the water. It wasn't too worried about me. You can hear the miserably cold wind on the video. I was standing there holding my camera and tripod, and filming with the videocamera. The sun was so bright I could barely see in the viewfinder. I didn't do too badly, after all.
weasel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
It decided that was it, and galloped across the highway.
This was the best I could do, as it ran all along the shoreline, behind the blockhouse, around the lock itself, catching the attention of the geese, who were a bit worried.
This one went back to the other shoreline, and skirting the shoreline I followed it from behind the blockhouse to where I was standing on the concrete locks. The geese were a bit worried. I tracked it along the shoreline, dragging my tripod, my zoom lens with me. I looked back but couldn't see it.
Following it, the geese were paying attention. I lost sight of it.
We toodled off home, done for the day. It was a lovely couple of hours, away from news in the sun, and we found lots of critters. I like the thin ice warning.
There is some snow left, although we had 🌧 20mm of rain overnight, and if we go back it likely has further diminished.
Back in Lanark County...
Vultures have been here for a week or so, migrating back for spring. I spotted several.
As we arrived home, I snagged a photo of our three crows.
It was a great drive in the sunshine. Quite healing.
13 comments:
...as things warm up, more critters are appearing.
That is exciting to see the weasel.
Wow, that little guy was really looking for something else besides you...with all that gear, he must have wondered what the heck you were! Great video of him!
The weasels were an unexpected delight for you.
A Monopod might be a lot easier to carry around, specially if you go to the rocky areas. The weasel, fancy that spotting him then seeing the meal he snagged!!! Wind noise, some people use a sort of fur muffler,over where the microphone is, and it just cuts out the wind? Your spring is nigh, with a thin ice warning.
Wonderful shots of that weasel.
You're lucky to catch some good shots of the weasel. They are not shy but we don't see much of the.
What fun to see the weasel, you took great photos and videos. I can understand why the geese were worried. I expect weasels love nothing more than to raid their nests when eggs are laid? Ours are going around in pairs but a little too early for building those nests yet I suppose. Fun to see the fish and great captures of the vultures. Thanks for taking us on your drive, I enjoyed it all.
Getting photos of that weasel was amazing!
This was really a thrilling post!
That weasel looks small. I wonder if they are all small or if it's a baby. Love the vultures -- great shots.
Wow. I really enjoyed seeing and reading about the weasel. That was interesting and fascinating to see.
I don't think I've ever seen a weasel in the wild. I do see mongoose here in Hawaii though and they rather look like weasels.
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