It was one of
those mornings when I woke up way too early.
After staring at the ceiling fan and listening to DH snore for a while I
gave up and got up and went for a walk down by Nature Park Pond. I took a bag of old dry bread to feed the
ducks. However, the ducks had been
enjoying a bounty of bread benevolence and weren’t interested in my breakfast
donation. I sat there for a while
enjoying the sunrise.
Then this hairy
thing swam carefully up to the shore.
While I sat there quietly a muskrat came to investigate the yummy smell.
Dry bread must
have looked better to him than the minnows and waterbugs he’d been hunting.
He didn’t even
care if there wasn’t any marmalade or raspberry jam.
Although he did
take a few of the dry crusts down for a soak before he ate them.
He was so busy
with his banquet that I was able to fumble out my cell phone and take a few
photos even though he was just a few feet from where I sat.
When he’d eaten
his fill he waddled back to the water on his little webbed feet.
Then casually
swam away using that long scaly tail to propel him off to do whatever water
rats do.
Click on the link below to see a video from another time I was sitting quietly by a pond trying to get a few pictures of birds. It was early spring and there was still snow in the shady places along the shore.
I heard an odd chirping sound and saw a family of otters, two young ones and a mamma playing in the water.
13 comments:
OK, the muskrat was cool, but the otter film kicked it's butt. Love the otters, though I understand fisherman don't like the competition.
The silver lining of loud snores! The early morning ratty- so worth it! The otters, I agree with Joeh, really adorable, What a lucky walk you had, have, do...
All of my critters have gone- I do not blame them, they are smarter than I...
Oh, wow! That is so cool!
The otters win...they look like they're having so much fun!
I'm jealous of your being so close. Wild creatures fascinate me.
Pearl
Wow great score early mornings are the best time to find those incredible moments. I loved the video too. I think you should be getting up and going out every morning to avoid snores:). B
Absolute cuteness, Leenie! Seems we're not the only ones ruled by our tummies! :)
What a great time, I've never had a muskrat come out of the water before.
Loved this post, especially the part about having the bread without the jam.
Jen
Yea, Ratty! Remember how brave he was, doleing out a gun for Ratty, a gun for Mole, a gun for Badger. A belt for Ratty, a belt for Mole, a belt for Badger. A.....
The last muskrat I saw was in a drainage ditch between Captain D's and McDonald's.
Wow!
He might be sight for the gods for you, too. Thank you for sharing the big mouse. (Θ(ｴ)Θ*)
Oh, I love otters! (or ottoes, as a friend of mine calls them). But the water rat - eek - I would have run a a mile. I just have a thing about rats, webbed feet or not. Maybe it is the tail ...
How cool is that! What a cute little fella.
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