UL Creatures

It's hard to tell for sure, but I think that a pine marten is a good guess. It looks too small to be a wolverine, and too large and fat to be a weasel. Too furry to be a river otter. Possibly a mink or a fisher.

Travis, more research!
–B.G.–

I've emailed the Wisconsin DNR with a few photos. Let's hope they can identify it!

"While at first glance it looks somewhat like a marten, and the bright sunlight does make it look lighter colored, I think it probably is a mink. The ears looked small for a marten, and I don't see a yellow throat patch on it. The habitat is also more typical for mink, and marten tend to be in more upland situations. But you are near an area with a good population of martens."

Excellent. Now you have to accept the challenge to get a close-up photo.

BTW, the state agency is very responsive to get an answer to you that quickly. I've sent inquiries that way to states and the feds, and I typically get a zero response about one month later. Budget cuts, you know.

–B.G.–

I was surprised at the response time as well. I did send a thank-you to them because of that.

Luckily, I have a decent chance of getting some more shots of that animal. That picture was taken from a bridge very near our little cabin, and after watching the animal for a few minutes, I believe its home is in a pile of scrub next to the bridge. I'll have to get a shot where the sun isn't directly in the camera's lens!

Travis, if you go out there to try to photograph the animal, first of all understand that you might never see it. That gets frustrating to some wildlife photographers. Remember the time of day that you saw it, and that is a good time to try again. Many animals like that have a daily routine. If you think you have converged to a den area, then keep some distance, but construct a blind. The Brits call that a hide. But you will want to sit there unseen until the animal comes along again. Then you will want the longest camera lens that you can afford. The smaller the animal, the longer the lens.
–B.G.–

Western Pond Turtle
I need the snow to melt so I can take pictures of High Country Creatures.

Spider in a Poppy – Henry Coe

A bird showing a bit of leg:

hey, you, get offa my cloud

western diamondback

canyon tree frog, about 3/4" long

Rufous-sided Towhee

slow moving

Big Foot-Arroyo Seco Creek

some type of relative to the loch ness monster
ventana wilderness CA

seal on the lost coast of CA

wow cam, that starfish is stunning. i would hang that in my office. nice!

local park, AZ

What is it?

Grizzly Evidence,Thorofare Yellowstone NP

I did not sleep well that night!! Whats that noise????

The hazards of living in North Queensland – a Green Tree frog has made itself at home in my Camelbak,where it was hanging out to dry on the back verandah.

The SUL version of the OP's horny toad…

Four Legs

Four Flippers

Two Legs

Cheers,

Rick

Mayfly landing while resting my legs along Dry Creek, Gila Wilderness,NM 5/16/10

Fast moving ladybug nearly evades the shutter, Gila Wilderness, NM, 5/16/10