American Mink

Yesterday late in the afternoon, I saw this little mink pop it’s head up at the edge of the salt marsh. It started racing around in a very purposeful manner keeping it’s head and nose down as if it was frantically searching for something. Perhaps it had previously stashed some food in a den among the rocks and could not recall the locations of all the stashes. It clearly had a mission in mind though because the odd and interesting thing was that it ignored me the entire time. As you can see especially in the last photo, the mink was practically right at my feet and did not seem to care at all that I was there.

94 thoughts on “American Mink”

Susan Sohl on February 11, 2013 at 1:45 pm said:

Nice!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 4:55 pm said:
  
  Thanks Sue!
  
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jimbey on February 11, 2013 at 1:50 pm said:

…. A.K.A. Stretch Rat. He reminds me of the days I kept a business (group) of ferrets. If minks are anything like ferrets, they don’t know the meaning of the word “fear”. Come to think of it, they don’t know the meaning of a lot of words. I wonder what your resident eagles think of this little fur-ball.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 4:58 pm said:
  
  They (like squirrels) don’t know the meaning of ‘there’s a car coming, watch out.’ I have seen them run out into traffic with total disregard.
  I thought of the eagles when I saw this guy scamper out into the marsh at low tide. The same marsh the eagles so often stake out. Sadly I suspect this little mink does not have a long life in his future.
  
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  - jimbey on February 11, 2013 at 5:27 pm said:
    
    …. Actually, eagles aren’t that great a threat; although eagles and owls can and will grab juveniles. Mink, ferrets, otters and such are members of the weasel family. Almost impossible to break their necks, so if an eagle makes the mistake of bringing a full grown mink to its nest, it will have a dramatic and painful fight on its hands – er – talons. Coyotes, otters (and Fords) are the biggest threat. And society ladies, of course.
    
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    - Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:35 pm said:
      
      We have several coyotes in the area recently. I have not seen a rabbit (which used to be everywhere) in a while now.
      Mink population is down too.
      
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      - jimbey on February 11, 2013 at 6:32 pm said:
        
        …. Yep. Coyotes and bobcats pose the biggest threats – and even the occasional (lucky) gator. Coyotes are going to prove to be a huge problem as they get more and more established.
        
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        Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 7:33 pm said:
        
        Yeah we had a gator try to grab one a year or so ago.
        
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ruthincolorado on February 11, 2013 at 1:58 pm said:

What a sighting! Handsome guy.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 4:58 pm said:
  
  We were happy to see him!
  
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pixelspielerei on February 11, 2013 at 2:00 pm said:

I think animals know exactly whom to trust. Nice Pictures!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:00 pm said:
  
  Thanks I’m glad you liked these mink pics! I think he trusted me, but with other mink I can get them to give me a cute little pose sometimes. This one was all business.
  
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edithlevyphotography on February 11, 2013 at 2:01 pm said:

OMG he’s so cute.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:01 pm said:
  
  They are super cute!
  If you get a minute, feel free to check my gallery for more mink pics.
  https://phillanoue.com/mink-photos/
  
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  - edithlevyphotography on February 12, 2013 at 10:14 pm said:
    
    Thanks for directing me to the gallery to the the rest if the images Phil. Loved them.
    
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janmasyn on February 11, 2013 at 2:39 pm said:

Excellent captures Phil.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:01 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much Jan.
  
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crazytraintotinkytown on February 11, 2013 at 2:46 pm said:

Amazing pics Phil.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:02 pm said:
  
  I’m happy you enjoyed them.
  
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petspeopleandlife on February 11, 2013 at 2:52 pm said:

I enjoyed seeing the mink photos. So very nice.Indeed it was up close to you. That must have been quite an experisence Such a pretty chocolate brown color.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:03 pm said:
  
  I’m am very glad you enjoyed these mink pics!
  In the past I have had two chasing one another and one ran right between my legs and the other ran on the side of my legs. 🙂
  
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  - petspeopleandlife on February 11, 2013 at 11:31 pm said:
    
    I bet you were a tad startled by those two mink. I wonder if there eye sight is not so good. I’ll have to read about mink.
    
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    - Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:22 pm said:
      
      I think they see OK enough, I just don’t think they cared that I was standing there. This behavior is very dangerous for those that live near roads however. Running around without paying attention will not lead to a long life.
      
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Sid Dunnebacke on February 11, 2013 at 2:56 pm said:

Cute little fella/gal. Sometimes good photos are hard to get, and sometimes they come right up to you, I guess!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:04 pm said:
  
  It is a cutie! I was quite surprised this one totally ignored me though, even when it was that close. If I would have stuck my foot out I could have got that in the picture.
  
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roughseasinthemed on February 11, 2013 at 3:11 pm said:

S/he’s geocaching! But too cute. Bet those teeth are sharp. Better the fur on him/her too than on any person.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:05 pm said:
  
  It could be geocaching because it had a definite purpose in mind. Sharp teeth indeed!
  Much better it gets to keep it’s own fur! 🙂
  See more mink photos here:
  https://phillanoue.com/mink-photos/
  
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Katariina Partala on February 11, 2013 at 3:22 pm said:

Soooooo cute!! I never saw a mink before!! 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:06 pm said:
  
  They are super cute!! Thanks for looking!
  
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Gunta on February 11, 2013 at 3:48 pm said:

We had a mink living in an (unused) stove pipe in Utah. The brother-in-law fed it by hand. I was afraid he’d lose some fingers, but didn’t. My husband used to joke about a woman who asked how many times you could skin them… the answer being “only once, since they didn’t like it much,” 😀

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:07 pm said:
  
  I would not want one to get hold of my fingers that’s for sure.
  I much prefer watching this little guy running around wild in nature then a person wearing a coat made from their hides.
  
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  - Gunta on February 11, 2013 at 5:13 pm said:
    
    I agree with the running wild bit, but they had a lot of mink farms out where we lived. I suspect our guy might have been an escapee. They are so cute. Surely there are much better alternatives to wearing their precious hides.
    
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Utasflow on February 11, 2013 at 4:03 pm said:

Looks so cute. His world seems be what his nose will tell him.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:08 pm said:
  
  That was his world yesterday. It barely lifted that nose off the ground.
  They really are quite cute. 🙂
  
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Chillbrook on February 11, 2013 at 4:30 pm said:

A special guest apperance down in the salt marsh. He really is a cute little guy! Wonderful images Phil.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:09 pm said:
  
  We were thrilled it made a special guest appearance for sure! They are *very* cute little guys!
  Thanks much Adrian!
  
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einfachtilda on February 11, 2013 at 4:55 pm said:

Ist der niedlich und so schöne Fotos!!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:11 pm said:
  
  Vielen Dank. Ja, er ist sehr nett! 🙂
  
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juditon on February 11, 2013 at 5:00 pm said:

Really prefer the second one, look natural.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:10 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much for looking.
  
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Kate on February 11, 2013 at 5:12 pm said:

He’s adorable, Phil! You always manage to find such neat animals to photograph. What a treat for you.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:37 pm said:
  
  Thanks a bunch Kate! So glad you like the little mink!
  We are always thrilled to see an animal like this make a special guest appearance!
  
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Jessica of HolaYessica on February 11, 2013 at 5:35 pm said:

So cute! For some reason, I always think of mink as being white.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:39 pm said:
  
  They sure are cute! Jessica you are possibly thinking of a relative of the mink, the ermine. 🙂 Those are often white.
  
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  - Jessica of HolaYessica on February 11, 2013 at 5:51 pm said:
    
    Oooh, that must be it! Thanks 🙂
    
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Patrizia M. on February 11, 2013 at 5:35 pm said:

Non ti sfugge proprio nulla, sono bellissime queste foto e il visone è dolcissimo, adorabile !!
Ciao, Pat

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:44 pm said:
  
  Io cerco di stare all’erta. 🙂 Grazie per guardare queste foto !!
  
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  - Patrizia M. on February 11, 2013 at 5:45 pm said:
    
    Grazie a te Phill che mi dai la possibilità di vederle 🙂
    
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dinajohnston on February 11, 2013 at 5:39 pm said:

Now that’s one I have never seen before. He is so cute! Great shots of him.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 5:42 pm said:
  
  We used to see them fairly often but not too much at all lately. However…we have been seeing more coyotes.
  Oh, and the rabbits seem to have disappeared as well.
  See more mink photos here if you wish:
  https://phillanoue.com/mink-photos/
  Thanks much for checking out these pics!
  
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Gracie on February 11, 2013 at 5:44 pm said:

Aww…he’s so cute! Reminds me of my cousin’s ferret!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 7:34 pm said:
  
  Thanks for looking Gracie! Yes, they are cute little guys!
  
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Lisa Gordon on February 11, 2013 at 6:15 pm said:

He is just adorable!!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 7:34 pm said:
  
  They really are quite cute! 🙂 Thanks for checking these out.
  
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Garden Walk Garden Talk on February 11, 2013 at 7:13 pm said:

I never saw a mink in the wild. Thanks!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 11, 2013 at 7:36 pm said:
  
  Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed looking at these mink photos.
  More here:
  https://phillanoue.com/mink-photos/
  
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  - Garden Walk Garden Talk on February 11, 2013 at 7:37 pm said:
    
    Already was there. Wonderful images.
    
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sallywoodphotography on February 11, 2013 at 8:34 pm said:

Oh how cute!! I love those paws……. he/she obviously thought you were going to steal his/her stash of food, and had to get to it before you did… poor thing………

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:11 pm said:
  
  He does have cute little paws! Maybe it was trying to lead me away from it’s food stash. Or…there were babies somewhere.
  
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  - sallywoodphotography on February 12, 2013 at 12:17 pm said:
    
    Ha, yes I had thought of babies too. Have a great day!
    
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    - Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:24 pm said:
      
      At one point when it went deep under some dense reeds I heard some squeaking. I thought it was just this one making the sounds but who knows, maybe it was babies?!
      
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Littlesundog on February 11, 2013 at 9:48 pm said:

What a handsome mink! Phil, you always manage the most interesting shots of wildlife going about their daily routines. Excellent work!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:11 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much I appreciate you looking and commenting and glad you like the little mink!
  
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Bella Remy Photography on February 11, 2013 at 9:59 pm said:

You found a mink ! He is adorable, and so close you should have bent down to try to pet him. Let’s call him Milo.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:13 pm said:
  
  I did find a mink! And a cute one! Funny you mention petting him, when he got that close it was like having my cat walk by me. I almost did find myself reaching down to give him a little scritch between the ears. 🙂
  
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adinparadise on February 11, 2013 at 10:19 pm said:

Cute little creature, Phil. I’ve never seen a live one before. 😀 You certainly came up with something different this time.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:14 pm said:
  
  It is a cute liitle critter isn’t it?! 🙂 Cool to see out wild in nature. Just like me. 😆
  
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  - adinparadise on February 12, 2013 at 12:22 pm said:
    
    I’ll have to take your word for that, Phil. 😆
    
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    - Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:25 pm said:
      
      Smart decision Sylvia. 🙂
      
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  - adinparadise on February 12, 2013 at 12:23 pm said:
    
    I’ll have to take your word for that. Phil. 😆
    
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Gareth Rasberry on February 11, 2013 at 10:20 pm said:

Interesting encounter! Good to see them back at the park again!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:14 pm said:
  
  It was cool to see this little guy!
  
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Rexlin Victor on February 12, 2013 at 12:05 am said:

So cute!!!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:15 pm said:
  
  Very cute! Thanks very much for looking!
  
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lylekrahn on February 12, 2013 at 2:53 am said:

What a great experience when they don’t care that you are there. Beautiful animal.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:16 pm said:
  
  Yeah it is interesting when they ignore the photographer. Funny too I have seen them before and on those occasions they really took notice of me, but not this one.
  
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meyer23 on February 12, 2013 at 4:33 am said:

Great shots of a cute animal.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:17 pm said:
  
  Thanks! He is quite cute indeed!
  
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thehappyhugger on February 12, 2013 at 4:54 am said:

Different pictures today, Phil 🙂 I would have thought he would be scared like most rodents but obviously not.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:18 pm said:
  
  I’m glad I had something a bit different, makes it more fun for me. 🙂
  Looks like I’ll be back to my regular fare of birds now though.
  
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LizzieJoy on February 12, 2013 at 5:47 am said:

Lovely close-up photos, Phil. Such a beautiful creature. I’ve actually never seen a mink before. Thank you.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:19 pm said:
  
  Thanks you so much for your kind comments! It is a wonderful animal to see out living wild in nature.
  
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Paula on February 12, 2013 at 10:13 am said:

The 1st and 4th are my favourites 🙂 This is a nice change from your feathered friends 😉

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- Phil Lanoue on February 12, 2013 at 12:20 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much Paula! I’m happy I had something a bit different from the usual birds, it’s fun mixing it up a bit.
  Looks like I’m back to birds for today though.
  
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FeyGirl on February 13, 2013 at 10:41 am said:

How wonderful!! I’ve never seen one in person… LOVE them!!!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 13, 2013 at 11:57 am said:
  
  Thank you much, they are quite cute!
  
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theforagingphotographer on February 14, 2013 at 6:07 pm said:

Beautiful creature, Phil, but they’ve caused havoc over here in the UK – lots of them were released from fur farms in the 80s and have devastated our native wildlife. I used to see them a lot on the river bank when I was a coxswain for a rowing team in the late 80s. They’re very beautiful.

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- Phil Lanoue on February 15, 2013 at 4:00 pm said:
  
  Thanks Lucy they are quite cute little animals but big eaters too. I know they have devasted many areas.
  Lately we have been seeing quite a few coyotes and almost no rabbits or feral cats anymore and fewer minks and deer.
  
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Maggie Davey on February 16, 2013 at 8:06 am said:

Hi Phil, from Lucy’s mum! Living in the country in Herefordshire, we have seen the devastation to our wildlife caused by mink. They are totally fearless and will clear a pond of ducks within days. Not seeing so many now, thankfully, although have to admit they are so attractive and agree with you in that their beautiful fur looks much better on them than any woman! Lovely pictures again, thank you!

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- Phil Lanoue on February 16, 2013 at 5:57 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much Maggie, I truly appreciate your interest and kind words about the photos.
  I know the mink have caused problems in many areas. Our population of them in our area now is fairly low, so we are not experiencing and problems. Hopefully it remains that way with a nice balance that works for everyone.
  
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pviette on March 4, 2013 at 5:14 pm said:

They’re adorable ! You know Phil, you make me jealous. Not only because your photographs are stunning (I’m getting over that very slowly, VERY slowly) but because you live so close to all these wonderful creatures. Thank you so much for sharing this.

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- Phil Lanoue on September 15, 2013 at 7:38 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much for your kind comments I greatly appreciate it.
  (sorry I missed this earlier) 😦
  
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Meta on September 15, 2013 at 7:16 pm said:

Wonderful photos. I have never seen a mink.

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- Phil Lanoue on September 15, 2013 at 7:37 pm said:
  
  I’m glad you like the photos and yes indeed they are cute little guys. 🙂
  
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