Tag Archives: Long-tailed Weasel

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Here's a critter you don't see every day - a Long-tailed Weasel. Mike Petrich and Karen Wilkinson found this fellow or gal on the Sonoma Coast recently.

These weasels are awfully cute, but they are fierce hunters! I did a feature article for the Press Democrat on them which you can read at this link: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/cute-cunning-long-tailed-weasels-thrive-in-sonoma-county/

Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

Another spectacular, warm day on the Mendonoma Coast. The weather people say it's going to be 20 degrees cooler tomorrow with rain coming in late Friday night into Saturday. April showers...

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Dennis Latona was staying at one of the vacation rentals at the Point Arena Lighthouse when his wife looked out the window and saw a Long-tailed Weasel head poking up from its burrow opening. Dennis captured several photos.

I was asked by the Press Democrat to do a feature article on this amazing animal. Two Sonoma photographers, Joan Bacci and Steve Pearce, had learned of a Long-tailed Weasel burrow near Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol. They shared some of their great photos with me for the article and for this post. This photo by Steve Pearce shows the black tip on their tail.

Joan Bacci captured this weasel yawning to start the day - that's quite a pink tongue the weasel has.

Steve Pearce's photo below shows the slim build of this critter. That allows them to dive into burrows of smaller animals.

Joan Bacci photographed one of the weasels looking out of a burrow opening.

Here is the link to my article in the Press Democrat. There are five other photos by Dennis, Joan and Steve to go along with the article. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/lifestyle/8643471-181/cute-cunning-long-tailed-weasels-thrive?artslide=1

Thanks to Dennis, Joan and Steve for allowing me to share their photos with you here and with the Press Democrat! You can see more of Dennis' nature photography at this link: http://www.pinenutz.com/

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A Long-tailed Weasel has taken up residence close to one of the rental units at the Point Arena Lighthouse. Dennis Latona was staying there recently and captured these photos.

Weasels are aggressive carnivores. They also have great agility and determination. They look cute, but they are fierce. Rodents are their prey but they will go after many critters, including snakes and birds.

Thanks to Dennis for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see Dennis' beautiful nature photography, here's the link to his web site: http://www.pinenutz.com/

And to see another photo of a Long-tailed Weasel, including its burrow, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/08/05/long-tailed-weasel-a-rare-sighting-as-photographed-by-walt-rush/

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A Long-tailed juvenile Weasel, a member of the family Mustelid,  was seen earlier this week but no photo was taken. Walt Rush had one appear outside his studio at Irish Beach a while ago and he did get a photo.

And below is the Weasel's burrow.

I'll be telling the story of this week's sighting in my Mendonoma Sightings column in the Independent Coast Observer. It's now available in an on-line edition. There is a fee but it's worth it! Here's the link to the ICO: http://mendonoma.com/

Long-tailed Weasels are carnivores, eating gophers, mice and other rodents. Their long, slender bodies allow them to follow rodents right into their burrows. They can climb trees and are good swimmers too. Owls and Hawks are predators of this short-legged animal with the big ears.

Other members of the Weasel family here on the Mendonoma Coast include Fishers, Badgers and River Otters.

To see a photo of River Otters - a mother with her pup - here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/19/river-otters-seen-in-the-gualala-river/

Thanks to Walt for allowing me to share his photos with you here.