I have a favorite spot where I like to sit and eat my lunch at Innovation Place in the winter. It's beside floor to ceiling windows and looks out on the gardens. I often see birds, and occasionally a mouse or one of the jackrabbits. But this day I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye and looked up to see a weasel run by! That was a first for me.
I assumed that would be as much as I saw, so I didn't bother getting my camera out. But then I saw it running around the area. A couple of people came out of Boffins and I thought for sure the weasel would run away. But it stuck around, in and out of the bushes, seemingly unconcerned about the people a few feet away trying to take photos of it with their phones.
At this point I figured I'd better get my camera out, although I knew I wouldn't get great photos through the windows. The weasel stayed in the area for quite a while, occasionally disappearing into the bushes, but soon returning. It was moving around so rapidly that it was hard to catch a photo of it. I wasn't sure any of them would turn out, so I was happy I got a couple that were at least recognizable.
I assume the weasel was hunting, looking for mice and voles. At one point a mouse came running out of the snow where the weasel was searching. Luckily for it the weasel didn't see it and the mouse went running down the sidewalk. A passing magpie spotted it and came swooping down. But the mouse escaped back into the bushes. Who needs National Geographic!
Since I knew photos were a dubious, I thought maybe video would do better at catching it. I managed this one short clip. You can see how it didn't sit still for long!
I think this is either a short-tailed or a long-tailed weasel. Apparently they are quite difficult to differentiate.
I assumed that would be as much as I saw, so I didn't bother getting my camera out. But then I saw it running around the area. A couple of people came out of Boffins and I thought for sure the weasel would run away. But it stuck around, in and out of the bushes, seemingly unconcerned about the people a few feet away trying to take photos of it with their phones.
At this point I figured I'd better get my camera out, although I knew I wouldn't get great photos through the windows. The weasel stayed in the area for quite a while, occasionally disappearing into the bushes, but soon returning. It was moving around so rapidly that it was hard to catch a photo of it. I wasn't sure any of them would turn out, so I was happy I got a couple that were at least recognizable.
I assume the weasel was hunting, looking for mice and voles. At one point a mouse came running out of the snow where the weasel was searching. Luckily for it the weasel didn't see it and the mouse went running down the sidewalk. A passing magpie spotted it and came swooping down. But the mouse escaped back into the bushes. Who needs National Geographic!
Since I knew photos were a dubious, I thought maybe video would do better at catching it. I managed this one short clip. You can see how it didn't sit still for long!
I think this is either a short-tailed or a long-tailed weasel. Apparently they are quite difficult to differentiate.
