Meet The Enemy

This critter, this muskrat, is one of a dynasty detirmined to literally under mine our terrace and the house beyond. This guy, along with the 10+ raccoons and 2 foxes who ate the baby duck eggs this year, the voles who have the same penchant for tunnels that the rats do and who toil away under the winter snow, the porcupine who circled and killed a fine large pine and the two beavers set on building a dam at the egress of the pond, a dam to be made up of aspens of every size from our yard,( they were trapped this morning) - these guys- are what make living on the prairie so engaging. There is no doubt their offspring and their offspring and their offspring will keep us alert for " as long as we both shall live".

We also have had a weasel who elegantly changes his color to white in the winter and becomes an ermine. There is a badger hole out by the bridge. We plant enough in our lettuce patch for the chislers and chipmonks to harvest as we do. This is the first year in 4 that we have not seen a bear or two although there are now bear aware signs on the nearby bike path. We are in the berry season so a visiting bear is not unlikely with hawthorne trees in the wetland. We share the land with the moose and deer. I have spotted a lynx.We have not seen any elk but they frequent the ranch just north of here. These are the animals with which we coexist. Between us there is no contention or quarrel. The rat above? Enemy NO 1!
You have, my friend, meet the enemy.