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 a likely suspect, taken this morning …
Click on the pic, to blow it up – and get a closer look.
Things we have for sure, that might eat, or are known to eat, water lily fruits… a ground hog or two, turtles (see above pic), smaller ground animals.
Maybe someday I’ll put some of my FPV camera gear down there, on a bright moonlit night – and stay up all night long – peering into the monitor – until I can ID the varmint. Or not!