mink! i saw a wild critter on the banks of the River Mole whilst up at mums yesterday
my mind divided into one of those curious schisms… one thread was in awe of this astonishing, curious, beautiful, genius creature!
whilst under my breath i started singing ‘psycho kiler quest que ce? ba ba ba ba ba ba’
minks are one of the weasel-oids (not a technical term!) yet sadly not british natives
this one had a glossy glorious sable coat, and was across on the island about 20 yards away, out playing in the daylight … you’d seldom see an otter at this hour, distinctly nocturnal
half tail, it did that bounding lope, where the body arches through the air and the tail sine wave follows through… nessie serpentine?
it reminded me most of the black malabar squirrel i was fortunate enough to see in munnar back at the beginning of the year
anyway it scrabbled down to the river, eased itself in, sleek swam down stream, then wriggled back up through a nest of branches, looked around, then launched itself into the water again.
A Riparian delight… a changeling soul, at ease both on land and in the stream… just beautiful
Of course a complete disaster for the humble water vole!
a quick google shows that mink were first bought here for fur farming back in the 20’s (thankfully banned in 2000!) think Dame Edith Sitwell in furs cigarette holder clenched betwixt teeth
they escaped and have been wild since 1960… most introduced species, however well meaning the intentions, end up being an unmitigated disaster! systems that have evolved into hard fought balance, thrown completely out of kilter by any interloper!
anyway heres a pic of a tree at sunset from the same amble… possibly the only post you’ll view this week that references, weasels, edith sitwell and talking heads? but mbe not
