On the edge of the Ice

I spy something small and dark with rich glossy fur (Mustela Vison) While what I saw in December and again in January and again today I believe is a mink, my Sweetie said it could very well be a Fisher. They seem to be making a come back in our state. Because of the size of a Fisher Weight: Average 10-12 lbs I deduce that what I saw was indeed a mink.

In its wild state, the mink (Mustela vison), a member of the weasel family, is a small, brown fur-bearing animal rarely exceeding 1350 g (3 lbs.) in body weight. Wild mink are fierce, solitary carnivores, with an average life span in the wild of less than 3 years. The mink is native only to North America and varies in size, fur quality and appearance in various geographical locations, giving rise to a number of subspecies. Of course the best way to determine what it was I saw it to check the tracks. The Fisher, called Pekan by trappers, is another marten but larger -- about the size of a fox -- much fiercer, and spends more time on the ground. Although it prefers swampy lowland forests and is a good swimmer, it is not as aquatic as an otter or even a mink, and fish are only incidental in its diet. The name "fisher" was probably invented to distinguish it from the pine marten. The long silky fur, varying from grayish brown to dark brown or almost black, is in great demand but this wary animal is difficult to trap and very scarce. Almost four feet long and weighing from 25 to 35 pounds, the wolverine has a broad powerful head, thick body and short sturdy legs. Its long thick hair dark brown except for a broad band of yellowish white along each side, is used in the far north to trim parkas because it will not accumulate frost. The fisher is found from the Sierra Nevadas in California to the Appalachians in West Virginia and north to New England.