"FISH TALES"

Mink (North American) - 5 Photos

If not grooming, this busy mink was fishing in the pond trying to catch that great score.

Although there appeared to be a great deal of fish activity (fish bubbles & brief surface appearances) and multiple mink dives & resurfaces, the mink repeatedly came up empty handed (Photo #1 through Photo #3).

And then finally, up popped the mink with a large prize in his mouth (Photo #4). Although fish shaped (it even has a "tail") and would have had similar movement under the water because of currents,  the mink quickly realized (as I eventually did) that this, unfortunately, was not the fish catch of the day but a submerged piece of tree bark. 

One would wonder how such a successful predator could make such an error but to give the mink his dues, the water in the pond is quite murky and with the shape of the bark & the illusion of swimming due to water movement, any fisherman probably would have been fooled.

But as this is not recreational fishing and food is the end game, the mink went back to it. A few more unsuccessful attempts and then it was upstream to the river (Photo #5), where hopefully fish were more easily caught.

PHOTO #1

PHOTO #2

PHOTO #3

PHOTO #4

PHOTO #5