Willie the Ermine February 1969

February 14, 1969:

I noticed some thing had used the opening in the squirrel nest and a meat scrap was gone that I had tossed in the box. Could another squirrel have moved in. I dug a sheep leg bone out of the scrap box and put it near the nest. Not five minutes later I heard a racket and checked, the bone was gone. I went after more limbs and when I returned I heard more racket. I opened the door and there was the ermine in the box and ahold of the bone. Heavier than he was but he dragged it out and down behind the gas cans.

February 15, 1969:

I checked on my ermined weasel. Sure enough he was in the box but left when I opened the door only to come cautiously back, climb into the box, crawl into the nest, reach out and get a mouth full of moss and close the door. How about that, he is a brave one. I tempted him with a meat scrap. A little leery but he couldn’t resist. He latched onto the opposite end and when I didn’t let go he came on up and went for my finger. As I watched him a squirrel came by and acted very much like my old partner. He climbed a tree nearby, stuck out his chin and gave me that long drawn out chatter before returning to the ground and go bounding up the trail. He had better not get fresh with Willie the ermine.

Later I heard a big racket at the bench where I keep the meat for the birds. The meat on the 1⁄2 inch screen mesh and my mortar tub bottom up over the meat. I checked and there was the character. He would take the handle in his mouth and jerk for all he was worth. No success so he left.

 

February 16, 1969: 

The weasel was home, so with left hand well padded I offered him some meat and he nearly touched it only to turn and run out of sight.

February 17, 1969:

I noticed the mortar tub over the bird bait was moved from the position I had left it… One place on the end where he might possibly try to force his way under. I tipped it up and sure enough there he was but not for long. He ran to the woodshed and turned – came back to within five feet of me and sat up to investigate. Again he ran for cover only to come back, and then he was gone into the wood pile.