Angry weaselly thing

[layla]

There was a very angry weaselly thing in the creek down by the culvert when I walked the dogs this morning. I thought at first that it was a bird or squirrel, from the noise -- it was making a shrill CHERK CHERK CHERK! at us. Then I saw it scamper across the bank and jump into the water, swim to another point on the bank and scamper opposite us, shrieking all the while. This, of course, got the attention of the dogs, who plunged cheerfully into the creek to say hello. They came back fairly responsively when called. By this point the furious little chirping creature had vanished.

I'm pretty sure it was a mink -- which means that the thing I saw a few years ago, swimming in a creek, and thought was a mink, must have been an otter, because this was much smaller. It was only about the size of a weasel, dark brown and very quick. I can't find a single resource, in my animal books or online, that mentions what sort of noise mink make, however.

I figure, from its obvious wrath at the dogs and the fact that it didn't just run away, that it probably has a den around someplace. And I have heard that chirping sound before -- I thought it was a bird doing it.

Comments

[jammielynn.livejournal.com]

so... i just read in dermot cole's column about your second place win for your FEMA watercraft on Sunday.
congratulations are in order.... that's awesome. i don't remember you even saying anything about it in here.

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

Oh -- thank you so much! I was too tired after getting back yesterday evening to blog about it. (Long story short -- we very nearly sank. It was a fun, but tiring day.) It's also the reason why none of my webcomics have updated today. I'll probably do an entry when I get home tonight. We have pictures too!

[neosquirrel.livejournal.com]

At first, up until I saw your guess, I was going to say "ferret" myself, but Mink is an excellent guess as well.

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

We don't actually have wild ferrets around here. But strangely, the thought hadn't occurred to me until reading this that the noise it made was actually very similar to the sound that a domestic ferret makes, only shriller. I suppose that's quite logical.

[dewgeist.livejournal.com]

I did see *something* cross the road the other day. Not cat or dog or fox so...Hmm?
Dang..you guys were in that?...We caught the rubber ducks but missed you :( Ah well.