DrBlox Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) Just seen scampering in the leaf litter and climbing over my neighbour's and my sheds: a small dark "weasel-like" (it wasn't a rat as it had a short furry tail) creature. A quick google suggests it was a mink - but we're miles from river/stream/reservoir? Edited October 17, 2017 by DrBlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendrix's rifle Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Stoat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 It could have been a mink, they do not need to be near water the whole time. It could also have been a polecat. What colour was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 By sheer coincidence my oppo was telling me yesterday that he'd seen and watched a black grey sqirrel on the farm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-dot Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Pine marten? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmytree Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Pine marten? The last pine marten was killed in Herts about 300 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBlox Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Pine marten? That was my first thought as it was so small - smaller than ferrets I've seen - its colour was a very, very dark brown (rat brown?). By sheer coincidence my oppo was telling me yesterday that he'd seen and watched a black grey sqirrel on the farm. We've got these "up" at Letchworth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-dot Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 The last pine marten was killed in Herts about 300 years ago. Pine martens ghost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBlox Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) Stoat? I didn't see the very light coloured "chest" or the black tail tip. Edited October 17, 2017 by DrBlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBlox Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) ... It could also have been a polecat. What colour was it? I've just done a google and I think this is the winner. Do they eat/hunt rats and if they do - how do I make them more welcome. Actually thinking about it - aren't they a bit "stinky" - my shed was a bit "whiffy" yesterday (a sort of not very nice cinnamon smell) - which I put down to a rat taking some "bait" I've put down for them. Probably no other animal on the British list has had as many colloquial names as the polecat. In southern England it was generally referred to as 'fitchou' whereas in the north it was 'foumat or foumard... However there were a host of others including endless spelling variations: philbert, fulmer, fishock, filibart, poulcat, poll cat, etc. Charles Oldham identified at least 20 different versions of the name in the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire area alone.— Roger Lovegrove (2007) Ahhhhh "Mr Fitch"! Edited October 17, 2017 by DrBlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 was it so weasel like it was a............weasel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 was it so weasel like it was a............weasel? I think so! This link has a neat photo and image showing the relative sizes of the stinkers suggested so far. http://www.mammals-in-ireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MustelidLeaflet.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 There is a pine marten recovery programme on the go. They are being reintroduced in some areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) A weasel can be weasily identified,where as as Stoat is stoatally different. Edited October 17, 2017 by Davyo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBlox Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) was it so weasel like it was a............weasel? I think so! This link has a neat photo and image showing the relative sizes of the stinkers suggested so far. http://www.mammals-in-ireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MustelidLeaflet.pdf It didn't have the pale coloured under-side nor a black-tip on its tail. Edited October 17, 2017 by DrBlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) We have short tailed bank voles in our wood. They are quite dark brown and bigger than a mouse, but smaller than a rat. We had to put anything chewable into metal containers. They seem to like plastics too little beggars. http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/mammal-forums/93917-difference-between-field-voles-and-bank-voles.html Edited October 17, 2017 by loriusgarrulus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_seagrave Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Ahhhhh "Mr Fitch"! Polecat fur is still known in the trade as fitch. The Master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers still wears a fitch-trimmed robe, as do the City of London Common Councilmen, and as, indeed, does the Master of the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers. #everydaysaschoolday LS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratmanwan Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 A weasel doesn't have a black tip on the tail. Also polecats/ ferrets can climb but are not great at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Going off the climbing I'm thinking young squirrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 The last pine marten was killed in Herts about 300 years ago. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-wales-36413469 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 You said it was small. So I doubt it was a pine martin. We have a few about here and I wouldn't say they are small. Maybe mink, stoat or weasel. Or polecat. Jam and peanut butter if you want know if you have a pine martin about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBlox Posted October 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) Going off the climbing I'm thinking young squirrel Just done a google and the colour/shape and tail are all wrong. And it was a pretty poor climber. Edited October 18, 2017 by DrBlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBlox Posted October 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) You said it was small. So I doubt it was a pine martin. We have a few about here and I wouldn't say they are small. Maybe mink, stoat or weasel. Or polecat. Jam and peanut butter if you want know if you have a pine martin about. Trouble is - we have a "bit" of a rat problem here so putting food out is a bit of a no-no. I don't care what sort of Mustelid it is - if it eats rats they're more than welcome. TBF I'm open to suggestions to make it more welcome. Edited October 18, 2017 by DrBlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmytree Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-wales-36413469 Thats great! I'd love to see one in the wild. They are surprisingly hefty animals, adults weigh about 3lbs and are about 18 inches nose to tail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 Just done a google and the colour/shape and tail are all wrong. And it was a pretty poor climber. With you saying it was going over the shed I thought it wouldn't be a stoat or weasel not unless it was chasing something, you'll have to keep an eye out see if it comes back. Do you have an air rifle? Thinking of the rats, make a good back stop put out some bait? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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