Stoats and Weasels seem quite common along the north-east coast this Stoat was skipping and bouncing between the dunes and hedgerow at Druridge. The Stoat is a similar size to a squirrel. It has a long brown body with creamy white underside. Stoats eat voles, mice, rats, birds and rabbits. Stoats move very quickly and erratically, twisting and jumping for no apparent reason - great fun to watch. The distinguishing feature differing from Weasels is the Stoats black tip to its tail.

The Weasel is a similar shape and colour, but is smaller, and has a shorter tail which lacks the dark patch on the end. A much more subtle difference is that the Stoat has a clean straight line dividing the two colours, and the Weasel has an irregular line. The photo below is a Weasel (seen at nearby Newbiggin-by-the-Sea).