There was a mink looking for lunch and a squirrel that didn't see things quite that way.

By Pepper Parr

March 28th, 2019

BURLINGTON, ON

If you needed a word to describe Vince Fiorito – it would be environmentalist, with a deep knowledge of invasive species.

The Conservation Authority of Halton named him the Steward of Sheldon Creek which runs behind his home. Along with junk that ignorant people throw into the creeks there are birds of every type.

An adult mink climbs up the bank from Sheldon Creek behind the home of Vince Fiorito.

Recently, Vince had a visitor from an adult mink. It came up bank from the creek and was hunched down close to the ground. Vince wasn’t sure what the animal was doing or was about to do as he reached for his camera.

The mink spots a squirrel who didn’t appear to be paying attention.

It then became pretty clear. The squirrel sitting yards away was the object of the mink’s attention.

The squirrel became aware of the mink – and sat there, waiting for the mink to make a move.

The mink lunges towards the squirrel – the squirrel looks for a way of of its predicament.

Nature has its own way of determining who and what survive. The fleet of foot can win the race – and this squirrel was able to move quickly. Could he move quickly enough?

Or was the mink about to have lunch?

Does the mink have its prey in its jaws?

The mink makes its move. So does the squirrel.

The squirrel heads for a tree – the mink heads back to the creek.

And the fleet of foot survive.

One wonders what that squirrel had to say to the other squirrels in the area.

The mink was left to head back to the cold waters of Sheldon Creek and look for something that would be a little easier to catch.

The survival of the fittest in its rawest form.

Fiorito explains that he was taking pictures of songbirds with his Canon Rebel and a good lense when the mink happened along. There were two of them but only one came into the backyard. I took about 30 images rapid fire from my bedroom window.