In spring 1995, I took my three small boys for a Sunday walk near Niederpframmern (in Oberbayern), a place where you could wander along unmade tracks across fields and forest. We had often seen raptors or roe deer there.
I was really surprised as the stoat was about 20 metres away - I'm afraid that these photos with a 500 mm lens are not quite sharp! However I later read that stoats are short-sighted but have an acute sense of smell. We were able to watch the stoat because we were downwind and presumably not clearly visible.
The stoat was clearly enjoying the Spring day running backwards and forwards and occasionally disappearing down burrows.
What was really comic was when it disappeared down one hole and reappeared on its hind legs! Despite the reminders being just out of focus photos it was a very memorable walk.
2007-03-28 @ 20:23