Mystery critters

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10013142.post-42163927123668290092008-03-05T06:34:00.005-06:002008-03-05T12:23:08.097-06:002008-03-05T12:23:08.097-06:00Mystery crittersArgh! The camera was so far away! What in the world are these creatures?! <a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RWdmvxAI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/G2fLvaLqRt8/s1600-h/febmyst1a.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RWdmvxAI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/G2fLvaLqRt8/s320/febmyst1a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174232836985570306" /></a> Critter #1 was just crawling out of the creek bank, I think. The back legs are possibly still below, out of the picture. <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RW9mvxBI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/Gca8Z_zok0s/s1600-h/febmyst1b.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RW9mvxBI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/Gca8Z_zok0s/s320/febmyst1b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174232845575504914" /></a> I lightened it up a bit, but I'm not sure it helps. This is about the limit of the flash's range, unfortunately. <a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RXNmvxDI/AAAAAAAAA5o/HFOBNijZeyk/s1600-h/febmyst2a.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RXNmvxDI/AAAAAAAAA5o/HFOBNijZeyk/s320/febmyst2a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174232849870472242" /></a> Critter #2 does us the favor of showing his tail. <a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RXtmvxEI/AAAAAAAAA5w/qZybv02vwDQ/s1600-h/febmyst2b.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RXtmvxEI/AAAAAAAAA5w/qZybv02vwDQ/s320/febmyst2b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174232858460406850" /></a> Here's the picture lightened up a little. Since there's no perspective for size in these pics, here are the larger uncropped shots. I'm including yesterday's deer and coyote for comparison. Ignore the times/dates - they got a little off, and haven't been reset. <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R09mvxGI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Xp3A-nDNdlQ/s1600-h/size2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R09mvxGI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Xp3A-nDNdlQ/s320/size2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174233360971580514" /></a> <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R09mvxFI/AAAAAAAAA54/1eFX67nxAeg/s1600-h/size1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R09mvxFI/AAAAAAAAA54/1eFX67nxAeg/s320/size1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174233360971580498" /></a> <a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R4NmvxHI/AAAAAAAAA6I/a7wNcdmYteM/s1600-h/size3.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R4NmvxHI/AAAAAAAAA6I/a7wNcdmYteM/s320/size3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174233416806155378" /></a> <a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R5tmvxII/AAAAAAAAA6Q/sjVwIz3BzzY/s1600-h/size4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86R5tmvxII/AAAAAAAAA6Q/sjVwIz3BzzY/s320/size4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174233442575959170" /></a> I'm fairly certain that critter #2 is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskrat">muskrat</a> (Ondatra zibethicus). We don't have nutria here, and I don't know what else would have a tail like that. <a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RXNmvxCI/AAAAAAAAA5g/oZAm_P73_c0/s1600-h/febmyst1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R86RXNmvxCI/AAAAAAAAA5g/oZAm_P73_c0/s320/febmyst1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174232849870472226" /></a> What is critter #1? I was really trying to make him into a mink, but the more I look, the more I think he's really an otter. Especially when I compare with <a href="http://rurality.blogspot.com/2006/11/otters-we-have-otters.html">these</a> earlier game cam shots. But let me know what you think. Here are <a href="http://rurality.blogspot.com/2007/11/holiday-company.html">more</a> otter pictures, in daylight. ----- Updated: Here is a closer look at critter #2 (click to enlarge slightly): <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R87kF9mvxJI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/MOWnzSkitEg/s1600-h/0mystc1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R87kF9mvxJI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/MOWnzSkitEg/s320/0mystc1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174323812982834322" /></a> This is where I am seeing his outline, and why I thought it was a chunky muskrat. This may not be right, however. Like I said, it's difficult to see where his back ends and the brush behind him begins. <a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R87kGdmvxKI/AAAAAAAAA6g/f3Jv4G7Co4k/s1600-h/0mystc2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_yj2JE1tFssM/R87kGdmvxKI/AAAAAAAAA6g/f3Jv4G7Co4k/s320/0mystc2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174323821572768930" /></a>Ruralityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06616461213179182660noreply@blogger.com