10/05/2026
An unexpected encounter this morning at Fellowfield… we have a mink!
The goats were peacefully having their morning browse while Katy sat nearby reading when, out of one of our brush-pile hedges, a small, dark animal suddenly appeared. It kept low, scampering through the underbrush over to a fallen log, hopped right up on top, and sat there checking everyone out!
Then it hopped down and confidently sprinted off toward the big pond. Partway there, it stopped, turned around for one last look at us, and disappeared into the brush along the water.
Earlier this year, Evan caught a fleeting glimpse of a small, quick animal he said looked a weasel or mink. Now we know who it was!
This morning gave us a much better look: uniformly very dark fur with a tiny white chin, bright black eyes, small rounded ears, a sharply pointed face, long tail, and that unmistakably long, sleek, weasel-like body. Slightly larger than a squirrel, our visitor was an American mink (Neogale vison)! Given its small size, it may be a female or juvenile.
A few cool mink facts:
• Mink are members of the weasel family, along with otters, fishers, and weasels.
• They’re superb swimmers but are also fast and agile on land.
• They eat a remarkably varied diet, including frogs, crayfish, fish, mice, insects, and birds.
• They’re strongly associated with water and thrive around wetlands, ponds, and brushy shorelines.
• Mink are generally solitary and secretive, making our curious little visitor’s decision to stop and check us out especially fun.
Welcome to Fellowfield, little mink! 🐾
