Wildlife Photography
 
I was spending time at a talus covered slope in Montana, observing the American pika.  Virtually once a day, a short-tailed weasel would traverse the pika's talus neighborhood in search for a steaming meal.  By early July, young juvenile pika were out and about and were very much vulnerable.
 
This short-tailed Weasel (Mustela erminea)  made an appearance but did not stay long.  It traversed the rocky slope - back and forth, using its strong sense of smell to locate prey but did not kill a pika.
 
Later that evening, a strong storm dropped buckets of rain in the high-elevation location.  I did catch a glimpse of a weasel (same one?) who killed a pocket gopher;  Both were drenched in rain and were soaking wet.  The ermine appeared content however.
 
 
 
 
The stoat (Mustela erminea) or short-tailed weasel, is a mammal of the genus Mustela of the family Mustelidae.