Advice please: Think I have seen a mink and is it a pest?

JBHphoto

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Jon
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I went to Fen Drayton Lakes today and amongst lots of nice birds I saw a species I've never seen before. At first I thought it was an otter (very exciting) but it seemed too small and upon reviewing my photos the face didn't look otter-ish at all. So I had a little look online and it seems to match a mink. Could anybody please help me confirm this? Sorry about poor quality of images - it was a dark corner where it was lurking.

If this is a mink it seems to have been a pest at various points in its habitation of this country. Is this still the case? And to whom would I report the sighting (RSPB who run the site, or someone else)?

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!
 
Yep its a Mink and a youngster I'd say too.
They are pest where ever they are.
You are best reporting it to the owners of the site or
what ever waterway authority that area is covered by.

They should start a trapping programme.
As you can see, they eat fish & will take young water birds,
eggs from ground nesting birds, although they are also quite good climbers
should the need arise.
 
OK thanks for the help all. I am going to contact the suggested officer from RSPB at the site. Hopefully he will pass on the information to the waterway authorities as the Great Ouse is less than 1 km from where I spotted it and I'd imagine that the information is useful to them too. It's a shame that such creatures have to be removed by whichever method necessary but I'd much rather see a thriving community of nice water birds maintained in the area!
 
Hmm, he looks a bit evil.

img_1228-jpg.26781


Shotgun!!
 
It is a great pity that mink have such an impact on other wildlife as they are delightful creatures to watch. Mink have been seen at Fen Drayton for a few years so the RSPB may well be on to it, but worth mentioning in case it is a newcomer.

Dave
 
Mink, and please get rid of it. I used to have a good spot for water voles until a mink went through them like a hot knife through butter.
 
I was fishing on the River Nidd last year near Cowthorpe, North Yorkshire. I walked down to the edge of the river and saw a huge fluffy mink as big as a cat !!! Wish I had my camera (sadly I don't take it fishing with me because it's too big.)
 
Is there an attachment that goes on the side of the camera/lens which includes a shotgun to blow the beggars' heads off?
 
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