Serendipitous moment .

A new pond visitor. 

I was photographing birds that were coming into our water feature and things had slowed down.

Rather than packing it in, I stayed and just watched the area. The longer I watch the luckier I get.

Northern short-tailed shrew,Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 15, 2025.

Blarina brevicauda

It is notable in that it is one of the few venomous mammals.

The venom secreted from the salivary glands of northern short-tailed shrews can cause pain that lasts for several days in a human who is bitten. However, bites are rare, and usually occur when someone attempts to handle a shrew.

Northern short-tailed shrews are 75 to 105 mm long from their head to the base of their tail. The tail length ranges from 17 to 30 mm. Males are slightly larger than females, especially in the skulls. The fur is velvety and soft, and the color almost uniformly slate gray, with the underparts being only slightly paler. Summer fur color is a shade paler than winter fur.

Northern short-tailed shrews are nearly the size of a meadow mouse. The snout is shorter and heavier than that of other shrews. The tail is short, the eyes small, and the ears are almost completely hidden by the fur.