Last Tuesday (March 1st), I was out in the woods behind our place, playing with my new camera. On my way back inside, I spotted a critter. It was on a rock, next to the wood pile in the yard that sits about 50-60 feet away from the house. After it posed for a picture, it ran into the pile, and played peek-a-boo for a good ten minutes.
Here are some of the gazillion pictures –
I also managed to get a few videos –
Surprise critter in the wood pile, part 1 (11 secs) –
Surprise critter in the wood pile, part 2 (3 min, 40 secs)-
Surprise critter in the wood pile, part 3 (20 secs) –
After investigating online, and asking in some Facebook groups, I’m confident this is a long-tailed weasel, still wearing its winter white coat (they’re brown, also with black-tipped tails, in the summer). This blurry screencap from my first video is what sealed the deal –
Have I mentioned how much I love my new camera? *grin*
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Cuteness personified! Love your pics and videos. So it makes squeaking sounds too?
Thanks, Jessica! Funny – I didn’t recall any squeaking sounds in the video, so I had to go rewatch it. You’re actually hearing one of the woodpeckers at a nearby bird feeder – they make that noise so much I don’t even register it anymore! 😀
Haha, that was my question as well.. what is that squeaky chirping? Love this, Traci. Your wildlife photography is so much fun to follow.
Thank you so much, Lorraine! I appreciate your support (and social media shares) so much – you ROCK! 😀
How cute! Yeah got some good shots of that sneaky little guy! 🙂 I think I may have seen one of those when we were camping once, but it was nighttime – too dark to be sure or get any photos.
According to our landlord, this little one has been around for four or five years. I got a quick peek last summer, when it was brown, but it was too fast for a picture. I’m hoping to snag a half brown/half white picture this Spring, if the little critter is cooperative and makes a return appearance. 🙂
That would be neat! I hope you can catch that!
What a cute little guy! I thought it was a weasel, but what a cute and slinky little weasel it is. It almost looks like something out of Japanese animation. Too much cuteness. All I have is destructive little chipmunks that steal my cherry tomatoes and dig under my slate steps… I’d much rather have an adorable weasel!
Ahh, we have the chipmunks too, Jess. In fact, we already have a bunch running around this year, which is why I think our yard is fast becoming the favorite hangout for the owls, hawks, and this critter. 🙂
Very cute. Nice to see something in its natural habitat. They’re an introduced pest here, and a major danger to our native, flightless birds.
Yep, I always enjoy seeing the critters around here in the natural habitat – at a safe distance, of course. 😀
I’ve heard that about weasels in New Zealand. We have issues with some introduced pests as well (the Japanese Beetle comes to mind). When will we learn to not mess with Mother Nature? 😛
OK. I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know what this critter is. Do you have minks where you are? It is terribly cute!
Don’t be embarrassed, Lori – I think I need to rethink how I set up the post. My big reveal that this is a long-tailed weasel seems to be hiding between the last video and the last picture. It is in the mink family too – vicious critters, but so dang adorable. 🙂
I have never heard or seen a Critter. Not even on National Geographic. So thank you for introducing and it’s cute 🙂 I would love to chase one 🙂
You’re welcome, Parul. Its official name is, “long-tailed weasel” (http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/longtailedweasel.htm) but I’m thinking of petitioning whoever is in charge of naming things to ask if they could change it to, “critter.” 😀
He is a cutie alright 🙂 And the pictures have come out really well.
Thank you, Shail! 🙂
So adorable, Traci! I get a lot of squirrels and raccoons in my backyard, but they are more destructive than they are cute. Beautiful shots, too- I really do need to get my DSLR out…
Yes, you really do need to get your DSLR out. If I don’t see pictures on your blog soon, I may have to nag… 😀