Dead Fred

So, when I answered the door and saw a lady, by herself, with a pick-up truck, I panicked. I wanted to donate some stuff to the Sacramento Animal Control Flea Market, but there was no way one skinny dame and me, were going to shift a humongous treadmill out my front door. As I was just about go all whiny in my dismay, a second pick-up drove up. Hurrah! There was another lady and a guy, both skinny, but up to the job.

I'm clearing out my eensie 10'X 10' bedroom so I can convert it to a serviceable work space. So out the front door went went my underutilized 1/2 freakn' ton treadmill, an old microwave, an older TV and some pet related items. Free space!

When the goods were loaded on one of the pick-ups, I turned my attention to a little present on my driveway. The present, so the pick-up crew and I assumed, was dropped off by one of my neighborhood kitties.

"I could not ASK for a better 'thank you' for donating stuff to the flea market!, I said happily, to the departing gaffaws of the cheery pick-up crew. I took my prize daintily by one of its spade like front paws and a backyard photo session began.

Dead Fred, a Mole posing in a pot
OK! Excitement over: goods picked up, dead mole bagged and stuffed into the freezer, so it's back to my lunch. What? Wash my hands? OK, if you insist.

Looking a little less festive here, but just as fascinating
So...what species of mole is dead Fred? There are three west coast species: Townsend's Mole, Coast Mole and Broad-footed Mole. So, which is Fred? Based on where he was found, and a few other physical traits, I'm 'guessing' he is a Broad-footed Mole. His forefeet are about as broad as they are long. He is a pretty silvery color, but that might be a variation among local moles, as even the last one I saw in Fair Oaks in 1993 was jet black. Also Townsend's moles are found in Washington/Oregon and the Coastal Moles are... well, they're coastal. So, I'm holding onto dead Fred in hopes of getting him properly ID'd and perhaps, stuffed.