August 2014

Muskrat Reed House Found

August 28, 2014 Nature, Work

After looking for 4 weeks, I finally found the muskrat’s dwelling.  Made of reeds, as I’d suspected – due to the massive reed damage in the very back of the pond.  The muskrat’s been destroying so much vegetation, that I could just see its hut.  Some pics of the pond and the reed hut.  

Late August Reflections

August 28, 2014 Nature

Two pics, too lovely not to post.  Reflections make our mud hole so beautiful, it wrenches my heart. These two are for Penny and Rob.

Muskrat wins – so far

August 23, 2014 Nature, Work

One water lily remains.  It’s the one closest to the dock, and the canoe moored to that dock.  A canoe which was only recently put back into the water, and allowed to swing about on it’s mooring – out over the closest water lilies. I think that canoe had been acting as a sort of scare crow for the water lilies – cause when I beached the canoe a few weeks ago – the water lily destruction began in earnest. Hopefully,Read More

Kitty gnaws on our big lab’s tail

August 16, 2014 Nature

Miles, our big (and old) lab, loves a good rogering.  And while I’m giving Miles a good going over, Kitty loves to work on the other end.  (She’s such a tail biter.)  And both of us working on the old boy just puts him over the top – he just loves it.  And it will always be that way …

Remaining Lilies – what muskrat hasn’t eaten yet

August 16, 2014 Nature, Work

Some pics of the lily patch this morning. And so, after several nights of marauding muskrats, the trap remains un-tripped.  And the apples used as bait – uneaten. I was just so smug, about my bounty, pre-muskrat.  Oh well. On the other hand – turns out we have a pair of Green Herons living in the Willows by the pond.  Pretty neat.

Muskrat Trapping – Learning

August 13, 2014 Nature, Work

Tried carrots last night.  In a trap my son lent me.  This morning, carrots still there, trap untripped.  But a lot of new water lily damage – about half gone now. Went to local grocery store, bought a bag of apples – and are they tart?  Anyway, I’ll rebait the trap before night fall – and we’ll see tomorrow morning, whether or not I get lucky. The trap is right next to the water’s edge, with the opening facing the water.

Trapping Muskrats

August 11, 2014 Nature, Work

Too much new damage this morning, to the water lily patch, for it to have been done by turtles.  Has to be a muskrat.  And at the rate it is going, I fear the lily patch will be completely destroyed in a couple more weeks. So, off I go, this morning, to our local Tractor Supply Co, or Lowes, to purchase a muskrat trap.  Neat.  Never done that before.  (Or maybe my son will loan me one of his –Read More

Snakes

August 10, 2014 Nature

From up on our deck, using binoculars, I sighted a Northern Water Snake on the far side of the pond, laying on the plant mats.  About 4′ long.  Thick.  Gleaming.  Perhaps it was admiring some nearby frogs? Got my camera gear, about to start down the hill – and it was gone. Maybe next time.

A water lily eating turtle?

August 9, 2014 Nature

No deer tracks yet – so its not a deer.  Their sharp hooves always give them away. A raccoon perhaps?  Never seen one in the 4 years we’ve been here though.  Doesn’t disprove anything. Maybe a Muskrat, as Ken suggested.  We had one this spring.  Kicked up a lot of mud.  And the net says they love water lilies and cattails.  We have both — but it’s the lilies getting worked over this week. But … here’s a pic of aRead More

Green Heron Video

August 8, 2014 Nature

Just added a vid – 20 seconds or so of a Green Heron in our willow tree, above our dock, preening. This was only after a couple weeks of going down every day, till that bird just got use to me.  And Miles (our beloved trusty but crusty, lab).