Nest robbers, like raptors, crows, grackles
and blue jays, who often have to provide
for their own nests, are a constant threat.
Raccoons are about, so is the rather
elusive Mink. One gets a glimpse of the
little rascal here & there, rarely enough
time for the image hunter to point, focus
and shoot...From perhaps 20 spottings,
over 3 years, I got only 2 mediocre
images, like the one below.
To the left of this over 4 miles long
path runs the Connecticut River. To the
right we have a canal between the defunct
locks of Suffield and Windsor Locks in CT.
With trees and bushes on the slopes of
both sides, there's an abundance of
insects, plus a variety of wild berries,
which make this extended area ideal for nesting. It's also great for walking,
biking and birding.
The Cedar Waxwings had taken chances
building a nest less than 3 yards above
the ground in this tree which was no taller
than 5 yards. The mink rushed across
about 30 yards away from the spot, while
I was approaching for more photography.