The birding was slow this morning along the lakefront in Milwaukee. I had checked all beaches and possible birding locations. I came up empty other than 1 Pied-billed Grebe at Lakeshore State Park. The highlight of the morning was not a bird, but an American Mink at Lakeshore State Park. I ran into a friend and we watched this cute little mammal run in and out of the rocks along the water and at one time ate a vole. I noticed on a couple of images it appeared it had some wood ticks on its body. Images were taken on October 8, 2014.
American Mink
Scientific name: Neovison vison
Type: Mammal
Habitat: Forested areas along, rivers, streams and lakes with dense vegetation. They may also use habitat of swamps and wetlands.
Average life span in the wild: 1 to 3 years
Size: Adults, head and body males 23”-27” long, females 18”-22” long.
Weight: 2 to 3.5 lbs
Diet: Mainly fish, amphibians, crustaceans, small rodents and sometimes insects. Voles are one of their choice meals.
Range: Alaska, Canada and the entire US except for the Southwest.
Tail shot
Tail shot
Very nice photos! I, too, just saw a mink. I saw mine at Greenfield Park in West Allis, and I’m heading back tomorrow with a better camera (more than just my phone) to try to get a few pictures of the little gal. It’s so cool to see them in Milwaukee County!