Getting Minked

There's almost a moral dilemma to getting shots of the North American Mink. On the one hand it's frankly brilliantly cute, with the wee white blob under the chin, it's dinky nose, the little, bounding size. On the other hand they ravage pretty much any indigenous animals, from water voles to birds, and probably should be removed from the wildlife population. But when it comes down to it fault lies, as is so often the case, with man, and not with the little fuzzy beast that then becomes demonised in man's place.

Lovely walk along the Leader Water, feeling like that crossover between autumn and winter. The Mink arrived a little over halfway through the walk, after we'd been sitting by the river enjoying some Thermosed soup and a sarnie. I got up to wash out the cups in the river and... "Erm, there's a Mink staring straight at me..." I'd seen some ripples in the water earlier, but had put it down to some ducks, but looked, ever hopeful, when I got up.

Bold wee thing, as long as he could see you, the shot above being uncropped and about 6-7 yards away, having started double that distance. He only darted for the water (and presumably a burrow) when leaves above that he couldn't see got rustled as a walker came by then Mel moved.

Properly relaxed day, which was definitely needed. And making up for not being at the Irvine CX by using tomorrow's day off to take the cross bike around Glentress. Much much more planned as well.