Finally!!!!

Here's the big deal from my camping trip...a Short-Tailed Weasel!!!! We were enjoying coffee on our campsite and just about to go see our bears when all of a sudden all the squirrels and chipmunks started alarm calling. Then I heard something to my left and couldn't believe my eyes...this little guy was poking his head out about 5 feet from me! My camera was in the car so I enjoyed him for a few minutes while Chris slowly moved to the car for my camera. Once I had it in my hands (the camera, not the weasel!) I was able to take a couple of photos before he disappeared. He made another appearance about 11pm that night while we were sitting around the campfire. We heard a noise from the exact same spot and looked over with the lantern and it was our little friend again. We waited for hours the next day in the hopes of getting more of a variety of photos but no luck :-( I can't be that upset though since I've waited forever to have my first sighting of one of these and it finally happened. The Short-Tailed Weasel is also called a stoat or Ermine in the winter when it's white. It's a member of the mustelid family, larger than the least weasel and considered particularly aggressive. They weigh less than 260 grams (9 oz), which gives them impressive agility and speed to add to their ferocity. In fact, stoats are capable of taking on and defeating prey twenty times heavier than them.