Outdoor Ontario

Off Topic => Anything Goes => Topic started by: Axeman on January 15, 2009, 04:25:35 PM

Title: Had No One Else To Tell....
Post by: Axeman on January 15, 2009, 04:25:35 PM

I had no one else to tell..and didn't want to post in wrong forum...but I saw an ermine yesterday a.m. on my deck....it was hunting a red squirrel...I was eating breakfast when I heard a thump against door...I turned in time to see the second thump....the ermine...they scrambled for a flash and then darted off....for you road runner fans, the squirrel got away..the ermine then spent some time going through the snow tunnels that the squirrels and rabbits have made on my deck...and then disappeared into the cedars...hunting....it was savage and beautiful...I kept thinking of the Tasmanian devil....well, it was very exciting for me....

Title: Ermine
Post by: Napper on January 15, 2009, 04:43:15 PM

Hey Axeman !!

I'll take two please, one for here and one for up at Tiny Beaches..

Was it all white with spot on black tail ?

Napper :D

Title:
Post by: Axeman on January 15, 2009, 05:27:31 PM

Yep...the tip was black...it was definitely an ermine...I saw it up very close since it was just outside my kitchen walk-out...6 inches away from it...and had time to observe..and have since looked at ermne pix...I thought they were further north than I am....but holy moly it was quick...and an icon of bloodthirsty....all of you who complain of squirrels....ermines the thing !!!

Title:
Post by: Axeman on January 17, 2009, 06:52:34 PM

So what I forgot to ask, does anyone know the distribution of ermine in Ontario? I have never seen one before -- I have seen mink on several occasions...and obviously there is a come back of mink in the GTA judging from posts in the past year...but I thought ermine were much further north?

Title:
Post by: GStuart on January 18, 2009, 02:14:03 PM

To the best of my knowledge, ermine (short-tailed weasel) can be found throughout Ontario.

(http://homestudy.ihea.com/wildlifeID/maps/shorttailedweasel.gif)

Title:
Post by: Axeman on January 18, 2009, 02:51:06 PM

Yep that's pretty widespread...lol...and here's me thinking I saw something unusual....sigh...

Title:
Post by: GStuart on January 18, 2009, 04:35:07 PM

They may be widespread, but that doesn't mean they're easy to find.  You did see something unusual, and something that very few city-dwellers will ever see in their lifetimes.