posted by Barbara Dixson, photos and text by Rae Henneman
Though no one can agree what to call this animal, an ermine, stoat, or short-tailed weasel, I think we can all agree that its cuteness is beyond compare. About once a year, the visitor center is graced with the presence of an ermine, though somehow, I have never been there at the same time. I had just gotten out of a class when I got a text from Schmeeckle’s Outreach Coordinator, Melissa Ruether, saying that there was one outside the visitor center.
I had a class next, but I knew that seeing an animal I had never seen before would be much more interesting. I biked home faster than I ever had, grabbed my camera, and then borrowed my roommate’s car even though I hadn’t really driven in over two years. I white-knuckled the wheel all the way to the visitor center, worrying that our guest would have run away by the time I got there. My arms were full of my backpack, coat, and camera, and right when I got to the front door, I heard some rustling in the leaves. A little white head with a light brown widow’s peak poked its head up and looked at me.
I was in awe, and I didn’t want to scare it off, so with my arms full, I tried to take my lens cover off, but the weasel hopped away before I could snap a good pic. Was all hope lost? I tossed my stuff by my desk and wandered around the outside of the building for a while.
Regardless of class, I wasn’t leaving until I saw this little white weasel again. Melissa told me that when it was outside Schmeeckle Director Jim’s office, it was like playing whack-a-mole. The ermine was exploring the rock pile outside the window and popping out of different crevices each time. I wanted to see this curiosity in person. I walked around the inside of the building too, checking all the windows, but I couldn’t find it. Did it run away? As a last-ditch hope, I exited the back door and froze. It was in the pile of maintenance stuff, sniffing around and poking its head up. This was my chance. I took so many pictures of this experience. I have been wanting to see an ermine for years, and it was finally happening!
I watched it jump into a pile of leaves and pull out a shrew as a prize, running around with it in its mouth. When it was finally sick of my presence, it ran off behind the garage.
Even though this was my most packed day of classes, I managed to only miss one and be late for another. If you are my professor, sorry, but I think class can wait when the wildlife is this cute. My favorite part of Schmeeckle is how much wildlife diversity there is in such a small place. Who knew that this 280-acre plot of land was a home and a sleep-over spot to ermines, mink, foxes, coyotes, bears, flying squirrels, and so much more.