Long-tailed Weasel, a rare sighting, as photographed by Walt Rush

A Long-tailed juvenile Weasel, a member of the family Mustelid,  was seen earlier this week but no photo was taken. Walt Rush had one appear outside his studio at Irish Beach a while ago and he did get a photo.

And below is the Weasel's burrow.

I'll be telling the story of this week's sighting in my Mendonoma Sightings column in the Independent Coast Observer. It's now available in an on-line edition. There is a fee but it's worth it! Here's the link to the ICO: http://mendonoma.com/

Long-tailed Weasels are carnivores, eating gophers, mice and other rodents. Their long, slender bodies allow them to follow rodents right into their burrows. They can climb trees and are good swimmers too. Owls and Hawks are predators of this short-legged animal with the big ears.

Other members of the Weasel family here on the Mendonoma Coast include Fishers, Badgers and River Otters.

To see a photo of River Otters - a mother with her pup - here's the link: http://mendonomasightings.blogspot.com/2011/08/river-otters-seen-in-gualala-river.html

Thanks to Walt for allowing me to share his photos with you here.