On Sunday, around noontime and under sunny skies, we entered Alewife Reservation in the back corner of the newly landscaped area — that would be near the intersection of Acorn Park Drive and the sign for "Forrester", past the "Sanitary Pump Station" heading toward Little River. At a wooden foot bridge at the head of the path, we headed west on the trail along Little River. After crossing the third wooden footbridge that FAR Ecology Campers had made, the trail curves to the right and there is a large tree stump on the left and a large hollowed-out log on the right. The minks may have been in the log when we first approached but if not inside the log they were certainly near it. They started running in a circle around us, one chasing the other through the leaf litter and undergrowth. As they circled around in the strong sun light, crossing the stream by the footbridge, we could see that both animals appeared to be the size of a large cat, but with short legs, long, bushy tails and pointed faces. The minks were bigger than a weasel, but not nearly as round and fat as a woodchuck or raccoon. The fur was a dark black/brown color with lighter brown highlights and somewhat luminous (like a mink coat), but otherwise uniform in color with no stripes or markings. As the mink were speeding by, their furry tails out behind them, they appeared to measure 20 inches or more from nose to end of their tail. They were flying! Visit FAR website for images and stories of Alewife wildlife: www.friendsofalewifereservation.org. Go do wildlife walks these next 3 months.

Lourie August, Arlington