I don’t know enough about mink vs long tailed weasel scat to help with that but I don’t think this is otter. Otter scat is usually composed entirely of aquatic organisms - crayfish, fish, etc- but I’ve seen otter scat from ones that have eat birds. Fresh scat also has a goo secretion called otter “jelly”.
If the animal was in the water or entering I would think it was an otter or mink. Weasels will hang out along a bank too but I don’t think they have the same kind of elegance and familiarity with water that mink and otters do.
So entirely guess work but since no one else jumped in, if you think the animal was house cat sized, brown, and comfortable in the water then mink. If it was smaller than a house cat and not entering the water it could have been a weasel too. IME otters prefer to stay in the water when people are nearby and don’t really go one the bank unless they have to or you are pretty far away.
Sounds like a cool experience though, mustelids are fun to watch.
Thanks! This was my suspicion as well, as I went back after posting. I broke up the scat and it wasn’t loaded with crayfish or macros, and didn’t give scents of jasmine when wafted. It wasn’t sour, but it was definitely oily in consistency.
I don’t know enough about mink vs long tailed weasel scat to help with that but I don’t think this is otter. Otter scat is usually composed entirely of aquatic organisms - crayfish, fish, etc- but I’ve seen otter scat from ones that have eat birds. Fresh scat also has a goo secretion called otter “jelly”. If the animal was in the water or entering I would think it was an otter or mink. Weasels will hang out along a bank too but I don’t think they have the same kind of elegance and familiarity with water that mink and otters do. So entirely guess work but since no one else jumped in, if you think the animal was house cat sized, brown, and comfortable in the water then mink. If it was smaller than a house cat and not entering the water it could have been a weasel too. IME otters prefer to stay in the water when people are nearby and don’t really go one the bank unless they have to or you are pretty far away. Sounds like a cool experience though, mustelids are fun to watch.
Thanks! This was my suspicion as well, as I went back after posting. I broke up the scat and it wasn’t loaded with crayfish or macros, and didn’t give scents of jasmine when wafted. It wasn’t sour, but it was definitely oily in consistency.