Exploring Kootenay Lake

These images were taken during the same event as the previously posted muskrat’s kiss.

Midst its feeding, the muskrat climbed out and preened — almost as if it were doing callisthenics. 

The first step is to shake off the water.

Then there is the stretching.

A test of the jowls.

Some more stretches and scratches.

All exercise should involve some pain.

And back to tranquility.

I went for the beaver; I stayed for the muskrat.

Beavers and muskrats are known to share lodges carved into the bank of a stream or lake. It seems that they not only tolerate each another, but even share duties. I had gone to visit the beavers, and two of them were present, but distant. However, also emerging from the lodge was a muskrat. It proved more interesting, and not just because it came close to where I was sitting along the shore. Indeed, it will require a second posting to show some of its antics. 

A muskrat came out of the (beaver) lodge in the early morning light and swam along the shore. What is only barely apparent is that it is carrying a mouthful of aquatic weed. 

The muskrat climbed into a hollow stump in the water and set about eating its salad. It sallied forth for more vegetation two more times and each time returned to its hollow stump to eat. The next shot shows one of the times it headed out. However, the picture looks much more as if it is an example of the whimsical title I have given it…

The muskrat’s kiss.

Another muskrat posting will follow.

The mule deer is not seen as often at the valley bottoms as is the white-tailed deer. Among its distinguishing features are its largish ears (after which it is named), and a white black-tipped rope-like tail.

The mule deer is also the only local animal that stots. 

Stotting is a travelling gait (e.g., walking, trotting, galloping) in which the animal moves forward by leaping into the air with four stiff legs. It seems to be a response to seeing a perceived predator and says: I see you, so you lack the advantage of surprise.

Two mule deer were standing on the edge of a forest when one of them started stotting.

After a brief pause, it stotted again, this time leaping higher.

Everyone is familiar with beavers damming creeks so as to get an adequate water depth around their lodges. However if the water is already deep (or fast flowing), beavers will build their lodges by burrowing into the bank. Any pile of branches against the bank of a stream or a lake might signal the location of a beaver lodge.

This pile of branches marks the location of where beavers have burrowed into the bank.

A beaver sits adjacent to its lodge and nibbles on a branch.

With morning’s light, it swims off in search of more foliage.