By: Blonde One
We often sing the praises of the Dartmoor that we encounter while walking but we don’t very often tell tales of the nature we see from the Landy. Sunday was a great nature spotting journey. On the way past a patch of woodland we encountered a fawn. When I say ‘encountered’ it was a little too close for comfort: he almost ran into the car! Even so, it was lovely to see.
On the way back, another creature ran in the road in front of us: this time a much smaller animal. I confidently identified it as a shrew and Blonde Two politely agreed. It was only after a few minutes that I remembered that the word I wanted was not shrew but stoat. (Anyone who was listening to our conversation at Foxtor would agree that I was having trouble with words that day.) It was a stoat that we saw, and it was very nice to see it. I have only ever seen one once before on Dartmoor and it was in a similar location. I found some fascinating information about them. For instance stoats’ superpowers are bendiness and hypnosis, and the names for males and females is Jack and Jill! Have a look for yourself: http://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/beast-of-the-month-stoat
The best chance to see wildlife, particularly when backpacking, is to be off from wherever you are early in the morning with the intention of being the first person that day to walk along your footpath. I have seen stoats quite often, but you don’t see them for long, they don’t hang about.
They are fascinating, we have seen them twice on Dartmoor, both times from the car. Last night’s misty drive across the moor revealed a silly pony in the road (nothing new there) and a scampering vole.
I met a pack of stoats earlier in the year – amazing sight that still makes me smile to think about it. https://fionasenior.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/a-pack-of-stoats-take-a-trip/
How exciting, I would imagine that not many people have had that pleasure. A lovely post about it too!
Used to see stoats and even a very occasional weasel along the canal towpath in Northamptonshire, very early in the morning from the window of the boat. Going back to said boat at about 3 of a summer’s morning I sometimes almost bumped into a busy badger, who was so surprised to see me there, he almost forgot to disappear. One lovely morning, I saw a fox trotting along with a poor old Mallard in his mouth – a feast for him, but a sad end for the duck. It’s hard to reconcile the pleasure and pain of nature. Your stoat was probably after a rabbit supper.
P.S. Have you seen this one?
http://wildlifephotographic.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/stoats-following-hunt-at-end-of-last.html