Avinga is Inuktitut for lemming, and it is also one of my son's names (after an elder not the rodent). Both happened to be out a Uluksan Point last night.
We have two species of lemmings here, the Brown Lemming (Lemmus trimucronatus) and Greenland Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), and I'm not sure which species the ones we were seeing belonged to. I can imagine I see elements from the description of both in this. If it were winter it would be easy to tell, Collared Lemmings turn white, Brown Lemmings do not.
I discovered though that when you are trying to photograph a nervous little rodent that sits down at the bottom of several food chains, and there are two small, excited, boys around it is almost impossible to get a decent photo, especially with the poor light of late evening under an overcast sky. This was the best of a bunch, which mostly showed a blurry, vaguely furry brown thing.
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That’s a pretty good picture considering how fast those little guys can move. I tried to get a picture of an ermine I believe it was a few years ago outside of QIkiqtarjuaq but only got about a 3 second glimpse of it before the critter was long gone.
The word for lemming in Inupiat culture is almost the same, except that Inupiaq adds a “q” sound at the end. Our variety seems to be a different species as well…from Siberia. I’d like to see those white ones. 🙂 I AM AMAZED that you were able to get as nice a shot as you did! I have never even attempted to photograph a lemming for much the same reason you mentioned, but my problem is dogs. Kudos to you, Clare!
Thanks Darcy, we had a Least Weasel living under the House for a while about 3 years back. It was pretty cool but I only saw it (not its tracks) once.
According to my (admittedly out of date) mammal book Kimberlee, you would have the same two species of lemming there, and three or more species of voles (whose ears would be slightly more prominent and who would have longer tails). The only lemmings I’ve seen in the winter have been Brown Lemmings so I’ve never seen the white version either.
First time I’ve ever seen a picture of one of these guys, nice one.
You could be completely right about the i.d., Clare I just went with the species name in the Inupiaq dictionary which listed avinnaq as “lemmus sibericus.” I wouldn’t know the difference if they were all lined up in front of me. 🙂 Well, maybe I could pick out the white one. LOL! Still, great picture!
guh! cute. I have never seen one before, must be hard to capture one. great job!
Thanks Alan,
Apparently that is the same species Kimberlee. L. sibericus and L. trimucronatus seem to be both used and I’m not sure which takes precedence. It is known as both the Brown Lemming and the Siberian Brown Lemming.
Thank you Amanda.