Someone sent this picture of sweet Ted sleeping several days ago. 
Ted on Dec 11You’ve probably already seen it, but I wanted to make sure.
There are at least two female mink coming. I read that all American mink have a white chin and lower lip, but I don’t usually see it. In the last couple days, two female mink showed me their chins. One has a clear patch, and the other has stripes on it. The one with the patch is calmest. Today, she appeared on the second floor deck when I had the door open to toss a slice of bologna where a mink would have to climb up a log to get to it. I did. She didn’t run. Then I tossed one within two feet of her. She calmly came toward me and took it and then went past me to go down the steps and eat it in privacy. Had she noticed that I threw the earlier piece? I think so. Shortly she came up, climbed the log directly without looking around elsewhere, and got it. I’m impressed how this same mink remembers where I’ve put bologna before and checks each spot when she comes up on the second floor deck before I put any out.
 White chin patch |
 Striped chin |
I have a dilemma about which of two gray fox face pictures to use in the Northwoods Ecology Hall for a picture of a gray fox face. It’s for a small exhibit about our newest resident in the Ely area. I’ve always planned on the nice, close-up picture of the fox looking a little to the side; but then a fox stopped and looked at me so nicely a couple days ago that I suspect people would feel more for gray foxes seeing that picture. It’s standing on the railing, though. It is to go with a full body side view picture of a fox walking by. See what you think. Looking for feedback in the comments about the update or emailed to
 Gray Fox 2017 |
 Gray Fox 2018 |
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center