American Mink in Oxfordshire

This evening there was a mink on the lawn in broad daylight. The initial excitement of this sighting was soon overtaken by concern for the chickens who were only a few feet away.

I followed it in to the bushes where it sat quite boldly apparently not too bothered by my presence - at one point it even lay down and was cleaning itself! Unfortunately my camera was low on battery and I didn't manage to get a decent shot of it even though I had a clear view. After a while I chased it along the bottom of the wall and back again before it disappeared I think through a hole. It is probably an American Mink (Mustela vison) rather than the European Mink (Mustela lutreola). The latter has a white spot on the upper lip/nose but I don't know of any other differentiating features. This one had a white patch over the throat but was otherwise a wonderfully soft chocolate brown fur with a hint of reddish / chestnut. Not difficult to see why they have been farmed for their fur...

The American Mink was introduced into the UK in the late 1920s for fur and following accidental and deliberate releases has colonized British waterways widely. The American Mink is said to be more voracious than its European counterpart which is dying out. They are good swimmers and are territorial on up to a couple of miles of river. This one must frequent the nearby River Cherwell. They prey on wild birds in particular water fowl as well as small mammals, fish, invertebrates and poultry. Once they have their prey in a vice like grip they proceed to scratch and bite them to death.

One suggested solution to protect chickens is to have the chicken house mounted up a pole with a rickety ladder going up to it. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has done this at River Cottage but seems to think a mink could mount the ladder if it wanted to. I'm sure my Barbu D'Uccles would not need a ladder regardless of the height of the house as they still like to fly but cleaning out a chicken coop 8 feet off the ground doesn't sound easy.