Keeping a low profile

This morning I spotted a small furry body sitting on a grassy clump at the marsh's edge.  I wasn't quick enough to get a shot of the muskrat's head before it slipped into the water, but I was happy just to have caught a quick glimpse of one.

Streets in the pond

I didn't get to the marsh until Sunday evening (the 24th), as I picked raspberries in the morning when I usually walk (and made jam in the afternoon). Those of you who walk the marsh may have noticed the paths through the duckweed in the frog pond (top photo here). I assumed they were made by the muskrats that live in the pond. I had just snapped the photo when sure enough, I noticed one swim into the path at the bottom right. He swam along the path, even executing a sharp turn as shown in the bottom photo. They obviously are creatures of habit.

A free ride

The muskrats haven't been much in evidence in recent weeks. This fellow was floating in the water while nibbling on some pond weeds when I spotted him this morning. If you look closely, you can see a bluet damselfly perched on his tail!

The mating game

This morning I noticed a muskrat standing outside one of the muskrat lodges at the marsh. After I took this shot, it slipped into the water behind the lodge, and then emerged chasing a second muskrat. At first I couldn't figure out what he was up to, but it wasn't long before I was enlightened. He was after a she, and you might say 'mission accomplished'. Perhaps in the first shot he was inviting her to come out and play??

Underground nester

Even the muskrats are in nesting mode, as seen by this shot I got this morning at the marsh. The muskrat was heading right for the bank where it disappeared, likely into a burrow inside the bank. Beside the trail above the spot where it disappeared is a fresh hole, perhaps the back entrance to the burrow.

Enjoying the sun

Yesterday's sun and warmer temps brought out a number of the muskrats at the marsh. These two were in the little pool below the sewage lagoon. Since they were obviously enjoying each other's company, I'm assuming they are a breeding pair. I noticed they accessed the pool from the marsh via the drainpipe under the path.

What'll they do next

Looking for the wood ducks this morning, I walked up to the sewage lagoon. No wood ducks, but about a dozen buffleheads - and a muskrat! I first saw it swimming along, then it climbed out onto one of the aeration pipes that cross the lagoon and began to eat a piece of vegetation. I must say I was surprised to see a muskrat there - but they never cease to surprise me.

Muskrat maneuvering

I've been watching the muskrat lodges at the marsh for signs of activity, and this morning I was finally rewarded. This fellow was enjoying a mid-morning snack of its favourite food - cattails - in the marshy area on the town side of the railway bed. It then moved to another spot, scratched an itch, and then - appeared to stand on its head! I couldn't figure out what it was doing, and then it came to me. These are 'musk-rats'. They have two musk glands at the base of their tails, and especially during breeding season, the males spray the musk to mark their territories. Now, how many people have seen a muskrat mark its territory?? Not many, I'll wager.

Mink alert

I saw three of my muskrat friends this morning, including this one that just seemed to be taking everything in. I can now see eleven muskrat houses at various locations around the marsh, with probably others I have yet to find.

Facing winter

It was a beautiful sunny day today, but since last night was cold and calm, I was met with wall to wall ice at the marsh once again. So, no ducks in sight, but it was a different story with the muskrats. When I started to walk toward the viewing stand, I noticed a good-sized muskrat lodge about ten feet to the left of the stand - with a muskrat on top! It was the first time I had seen a muskrat on around one of the lodges.

Turning to the right, where I usually see several muskrats, I wasn't disappointed - several were swimming around in a small open space next to the cattails, then, as I watched, five of them - count them - climbed out and huddled together. Muskrats are usually quite territorial, but when cold weather comes they know it makes sense to stick together - literally!

Muskrat/cattail connection

My muskrat buddies were out in full force yesterday. Again, I counted seven of them, busily feeding in one area. I also found another fairly large muskrat lodge in the vicinity. Muskrats are known as nature's marsh managers, as they control the marsh vegetation. Cattails are their favorite food, as well as the primary building material for their shelters.

In the top photo here, one of the younger muskrats is seen taking a bite out of the root clump of a cattail plant. He then returned to his perch to eat what he just bit off (centre shot). The bottom photo shows two of the five animals I saw feeding on the opposite side of the entrance to the viewing stand.

Watery playground

The muskrat youngsters were performing their hi-jinks this morning in their usual spot next to the entrance to the viewing stand. I heard splashing sounds even before I saw them. This little fellow sat for several minutes on his cattail perch before he became aware of me.

Nearly ice-bound

This morning I came across a couple of the muskrats that were presumably from the group seen on Sunday. This shot shows one of them climbing up on the edge of the ice. Muskrats are able to take ice in stride. Even when the marsh is frozen solid, they create 'push-ups' in the ice, openings through which they push up chunks of cattails on which they feed.

Furry family

I spied a young muskrat among the cattails at the marsh's edge as I approached the entrance to the viewing stand this morning, which I watched for a few minutes, then noticed that there were several swimming about or sitting on cattail clumps. I eventually counted seven in total. Most of them were quite small, so likely this year's crop. Some of them seemed to be playing with one another, like the 'kids' they are. There's a newly built, fairly large muskrat house near where I saw this group, so perhaps it's their winter quarters.

Passing in the morning

This beautiful weather has certainly caused increased activity among the muskrats at the marsh. Yesterday I caught these two as they swam past each other, with nary a glance at one another.

Eating on the go

I saw more muskrats this afternoon at the marsh than I have over the last two months, I think. I counted seven before I was done. This fellow interrupted his swim to nibble on a piece of vegetation.

Change of venue

I checked the sewage lagoon this morning to see what ducks were present. There were only six Wood Ducks on the lagoon, but, I noticed some commotion at the lagoon's edge - two young muskrats were chasing each other about in the water, and then one decided to stop and find something to eat. I've only seen the occasional muskrat in the last couple of months, never thinking to look for them here.

Cute as a button

When I walked toward the viewing stand this morning, I startled another young Leopard Frog, but also was pleasantly surprised by a young muskrat running across in front of me. It stopped at the side to watch me, and I was able to get in several shots before it ambled off into the water. (I have learned that as curious as I am about the birds and animals I observe, many of them, although wary, also seem to be curious about me.) This fellow's coat seemed to be grayer than other muskrats I have seen, and the first I've seen with white around its mouth.

No traps here

What should I see eating grass beside the trail this morning, but this young muskrat. I was able to get within six feet of him (her?) before he scuttled off into the bushes. They certainly look different when they aren't wet, don't they? It's no wonder they are sometimes trapped for their pelts, with coats like that.

Secret passage

These shots are today's piece de resistance, I think. It was just before entering the wooded section of the trail this morning, when I saw one of those little white butterflies that are flitting about these days. I watched to see if it would light somewhere so I could try to get a shot. It didn't, but as it flew off behind me, I noticed a slight movement in the grass beside the trail. Upon a closer look, I noticed a little head with two bright eyes peering at me. It was a little muskrat, and I had just walked right past him/her, without even seeing him. As I watched, it scuttled into the end of a piece of white drain pipe that runs under the path, which it had obviously used to get where it was, from the marsh side. I stood and waited to see if it would come out of the pipe again, and it kept sticking its nose out to see if the coast was clear. By that time I moved on, as I was getting bitten by deer flies. But I was tickled pink, as I knew I had a memorable tale - and the pictures to go with it - to post to my blog!