Charlie Fineran’s Photo of the Week is a nature lover’s delight!

I was driving along Rt. 57 a few years back near the entrance to the mall with Weis Market, Staples and Home Depot. As I was approaching Hackettstown I looked over the guard rail and saw this black animal walking along the far side of the river.  I did a quick U-turn to park, grabbed the camera and headed over to the guard rail.

I was able to observe and photograph a beautiful mink slowly walk through the brush and over the rocks along the shoreline!!  These photos were taken March 6^th, 2016, right about the same time as this posting.

Checked my nature book and sent photos to several friends for an ID, the consensus, it was a very big mink.  Mink like to live along rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds and marshes.  They are very good swimmers and spend much time hunting in the water.  They can dive to a depth of more than 16 feet!  Their preferred prey is the common muskrat, but it also takes rabbits, mice, chipmunks, fish, frogs, snakes, young snapping turtles and marsh dwelling birds.  Minks of both sexes are hostile to intruders and males fight viciously with one another. Foxes, bobcats and great horned owls are their known predators. So keep your eyes open as you never know what you’ll see along the river.

The Musconetcong River provides a wonderful habitat for Wildlife with its clean water.  Keep in mind, much of the river is designated as “Wild & Scenic” by an act of Congress and is well known for its many diverse recreational activities.

HINT: A great area to visit!!  This stretch of the ‘Musky’ has several places to park for easy access along with a trail along the River which is popular with the fisherman and other visitors.

The Musconetcong Watershed Association has posted several movies about the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Program on their website.  One of the Movies, ‘River Connections: Partnership Wild & Scenic Rivers’  has a segment showing and talking about the Musconetcong River.

Please activate this link to get you to the movies – https://www.rivers.gov/videos.php

Learn more about the Musconetcong River – https://www.rivers.gov/rivers/musconetcong.php

NOTE:  I mentioned taking these photos while on Route 57.  Did You Know, much of Route 57 is officially designated as Warren Heritage Scenic Byway, celebrating all the natural, historic and cultural locations and activities along and in the proximity of that route.  Guess we will chalk up these mink photos to a nice Natural Wildlife Moment.  Please visit this site for information about the Warren Heritage Scenic Byway –https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/scenic/route57.shtm

Enjoy Your Open Space, Charlie Fineran