critter q

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bf31415
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critter q

Post by bf31415 »

Took this pic of this little guy on top of james this past friday. thought he was a ferret but can't find a pic which matches the coloring. ideas?

thanks
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coopereitel
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Re: critter q

Post by coopereitel »

Could be some sort of stoat/ermine. Not too sure though, that guy looks a bit bigger. Cool shot!

I tried to take a picture of one once but it was too fast :-D
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Re: critter q

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

Pine marten

Google "American Pine Marten"
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Re: critter q

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

On more than one occasion, I've seen them over 13k chasing small marmots around. Several times on Crestone Needle. Since their normal habitat is in the forest, it seems they've learned to travel up high for pikas or marmots.

Back in the early 1900s, if I remember something I read correctly, CO mountaineers also reported seeing martens up high on the mountains.
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Re: critter q

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

Here's a shot of a marten that looks very similar
apm.jpg
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bf31415
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Re: critter q

Post by bf31415 »

BillMiddlebrook wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:15 am Here's a shot of a marten that looks very similar
apm.jpg
yup-- definitely looks like a pine marten. thanks!
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Re: critter q

Post by susanjoypaul »

I saw something similar a few weeks ago in the Flat Tops, but with light-colored paws and a bit of fluff on the end of its tail. I think this guy was a weasel, but honestly, I'm not sure. Jumpy little guy!
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Re: critter q

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

yeah, that one looks like a weasel. The white feet and black-tipped tail is weasel-ish.

They looove catching ground squirrels and chipmunks
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Re: critter q

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

I got this shot of a weasel at the Redcloud TH, right after he whacked a ground squirrel that was nearly his size
weasel.jpg
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Re: critter q

Post by susanjoypaul »

BillMiddlebrook wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:34 am I got this shot of a weasel at the Redcloud TH, right after he whacked a ground squirrel that was nearly his size
weasel.jpg
Woah. I guess the weasel is the honey badger of the Rockies. Great photo!
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Re: critter q

Post by Boggy B »

BillMiddlebrook wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:34 am I got this shot of a weasel at the Redcloud TH, right after he whacked a ground squirrel that was nearly his size
weasel.jpg
Saw one of these on Saturday. I thought it was a stoat. Which is also called a "short-tailed weasel".. even though a distinguishing characteristic is apparently that they have a longer tail than a weasel.

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Re: critter q

Post by climbingcue »

BillMiddlebrook wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:34 am I got this shot of a weasel at the Redcloud TH, right after he whacked a ground squirrel that was nearly his size
weasel.jpg
We had one in our yard a year or two ago. I looked it up to see what it was, they are really good at killing and eating chipmunks. So we wished he would have stayed around.
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