Weasels are weasily identified...

...because stoats are stotally different!

This morning, on my way to work, a weasel shot across the road in front of my car.

I say a weasel, but it might have been a stoat - I'm never completely sure about the identification. Oh, I know about the brown/chestnut, the white tail end, the turning white in the Winter (mostly up North) but as they flash by in front of you, it's almost impossible to tell.

This is not my picture. I wasn't equipped at the time, so I've borrowed one from Bedfordshire's flora and fauna (pic, Steve Blain) http://bedsflorafauna.blogspot.com/2008/04/weasel.html

I hope they don't mind too much. Go and have a look at their great blog.

Likewise this pic of a stoat is borrowed from It's Nature
http://www.itsnature.org/ground/mammals-land/stoat/

Still, whichever it was, it was my first of the season.

Photograph © Steven Cheshire 2009 - www.britishbutterflies.co.uk

Over the lovely warm weekend, there were Brimstones in the garden - always the first butterflies to make themselves obvious in our area.

Me (above) and other mad people collecting. I draw the line at the silly hat.

Meanwhile, we were busy collecting for Marie Curie Cancer Care at a local garden centre - the Mothering Sunday Weekend is always the best time to collect at a garden centre. The Great Daffodil Collection is coming to an end; Marea has organised all her collections and, hopefully, we will have raised a decent sum. Her target the year is £540,000. By the way, if you're buying off ebay and using PayPal, you can donate as you complete your purchase - £1 each time. Go on; you know it makes sense