Muskrats – the battle begins

May 24, 2017 @ 1:15 pm

Down at the pond, this morning …

I found some muskrat tells …

3 lily pads, separated at the base of the stem, from the tuber.  Meaning it was likely done by a muskrat gnawing on the tuber.

They were all in the same spot – the NW corner, where I’d found a single lily pad 2 days back.

So – I called the trapper – leaving a phone number this time.  And, he called back.  But … he’s out of town for 3-4 weeks, at a trappers convention, no less (who knew?).

So again – undaunted – I went down to the pond – and found two old traps.  Pulling one out that I’d set last winter (it was empty and sprung).

And I set one, and put it right here …

Just like this …

Hoping for the best.  I simply hate muskrats.

Summer Pond in Neon Blue

May 23, 2017 @ 11:05 pm

Set your resolution to either 1080p or 720p.  Else it’s not worth watching … Best bits from some pond videos.  Shot in the summertime.  In our backyard.  On some simply gorgeous days.  Nature is simply too stunning to ignore.  Vids made with two craft:  1) a Phantom 3 Professional  2) and a custom built drone sporting a Hero 3 Black camera.  All done in 1080p 60fps.

Winter Spring Pond Diary

May 23, 2017 @ 9:54 am

Tue May 23 Nice

Last night … there were 5 new water lilies just breaching the surface with 1-2 pads.  Here’s a couple of those …

No signs of decimation in the existing lilies.  Looking good.  Two different views …

Saw a minnow.  And – always seeing activity under the lily pads.

That’s either the minnows or blue gills.  Pretty sure it’s the minnows though.  But the surface is so occluded with stuff from the surrounding trees and shrubs

that visibility prevents ID’ing the creatures making the fuss.

However, this morning – that’s not so true – and … I saw baby minnows – 3/4″ long in the northwest section … in the shallows.

Tue May 16 Nature in Action

Seeing lots of surface activity – saw one school minnows – left of  end of dock.  About 20-25 fish.
Also saw a turtle, bout 8″ shell, swimming from west to east – at north-west back corner of pond.
And at least two Northern Water snakes – youngsters – about 20″ long – cruising along the surface of the pong.

Mon May 15 Fish Sightings

I’ve seen couple minnows, on two occasions, at end of dock – but Jerie saw a school of minnows – by laying on dock for a bit and being still.

Sat May 13 Restocking

Dumped 3 lbs Fathead minnows, and 12 Blue Gills into the pond.  Here’s Jerie with the 3lb bag of Fathead minnows from Jones Fish …

Some blues were dead as soon as they hit the water.  Was freaking over the minnows – which largely survived even though 50% were sucking surface air before release.  So I didn’t really examine the blues – could have shocked them … or … they just might not have survived the trip.  Might have been me though.  Some survived, I believe.

 Thu, May 11 AOK

Still no new damage.  Seems our outdoor semi-feral cats at taking care of the muskrats.  I seem them working the pond, every now and then.   They sometimes hunt in pairs.

Wed May 10 whoopsie

Trapper tele # might not have been a mobile – I should try again, leaving my number next time.

Tue, May 9  Geese?

I think it was the geese – otherwise, nothing new today.  Cept that I discovered Charlie also likes to eat water lilies.

And the geese – I’ll chase em off from now on, now that I know their appetites.

Anyway, the trapper didn’t respond to my message.
Removed maybe the last loose lily pad.  If I find another – hmmm …

Mon, May 8 Damage – the culprit?

3 small lily pads floating on surface – time to call trapper Jeff  (there were Geese in the pond yesterday – but I don’t think they’re the culprits).
I left him trapper Jeff a message around noon.  But later that day … after some research …
WRONG – Canadian Geese do eat water lilies, reeds, etc.  Specially young plants

Wed, May 3rd pond walk …

Water lilies are fine (yeah – many have come back – not sure yet how many, or if all of them)

Phrags – well some are tipped this way, and some that way – have to wonder if a muskrats been chewing on them down below – OTOH – we had some epic winds yesterday.  Going with the fact the water lilies are fine – and assuming still not muskrats.

April 25 – restocking

Planted some 20 water lilies from Lowes.

This means extracting the bulbs from the packaging, and gently tossing them into the pond where I want them to root.

April 20 – Returnees

And the ones coming back form last year continue to thrive.  The dock lily …

Monday, Jan 2nd pond walk revealed …

  • Yowsa – a 4″ hole coming straight up out of the top of the NE bank.
  • Yowsa – two holes in the side of the SW bank- under grassy ledges in the side of the bank.
  • And one in center of West bank just under the water.  I put a trap on it on Jan 17.

Jan 20 no new activity

Nothing new seen by those holes.  Including the trap.  (I covered the holes with twigs and leaves – they remain undisturbed)

Jan 22 trap triggered

The empty trap was triggered.  I reset it.  Area around hole had musky smell.  Here’s Charlie, inspecting the trap, before I set it up the first time.

On Jan 30 muskrat tells

I saw Muskrat shits on top of ice.  6 of them.  About 3/4″ inch long.  Slightly curled.  Final proof.  Serious tells.

On Mar 10 damage

I saw one closed white blossom.  Near the surface.  Just under the ice.

No other signs though.
Should call trapper Jeff

The pond, cats, dogs, some water lilies and … muskrats?

May 21, 2017 @ 8:30 pm

Walking down to the pond this morning, without the dogs

The dogs - another time.
The dogs – another time.

as I got to within 80′ or so, I saw our two muskrat hunting cats (LittleShot and BigShot) peering out of the reeds blanketing the banks on the west side of the pond.

Cats were hunting in the reeds on the left side of this view
Cats were hunting in the reeds on the left side of this view

They were looking my way – to see if I had the dogs with me – as Charlie will go charging into the reeds after the cats – if I don’t catch him in time.

So glad they were able to continue their hunt in peace. I’ve seen them hunt in pairs before.  That’s so cool.

I saw lily pads from 3 of our 20 or so newly planted water lilies today.  Planted about a month back, most.  Some a week back.  Plus of course, the 15 or so returnees from last year …

It’s looking to be a good pond this summer – provided those two cats are able to work undisturbed.  And they are able to keep the muskrats from getting the upper hand.  (They will – they are tireless, patient, dedicated – and crafty – muskrat terminators) Those damn muskrats can clear a sumptuously planted pond of vegetation – in just a month or so – quickly turning it into a crappy mud hole.  If they aren’t stopped.  Love those kitties …

Canadian Geese Yesterday – abused water lilies today

May 8, 2017 @ 1:53 pm

Yowsa – went down to the pond this morning – and found 3 loose water lily pads floating.  Left a message for the muskrat trapper.  Then started to think a bit more – what else could do this?  And the light went on, and I started googling – yeah. We had Canadian Geese on the pond yesterday.  And today, water lily damage.  Hmmm.  And the various net gurus say – Geese love aquatic plants – including water lilies.  And especially young ones – which is all I have growing this early in the season.

We will see – whether it was geese or muskrats.

Fortunately, if it was the geese – they are easy to dissuade.  Simply start descending down towards the pond – and they take off.

Have a resident heron this year too.  Again.  But I researched them couple years back – and they do not eat water lilies.  This heron waits till I’m half way down the hill – then it flies up into the branches of the willow trees behind the pond – waiting me out.

Return of the Water Lilies

April 30, 2017 @ 12:22 pm

The water lilies I’d planted in spring of 2016 have come back.  They survived the winter.  And the muskrats.

Thanks mainly to our outdoor water lovin muskrat munchin deck cats.

They removed (know what I mean) all of the horrible water lily munchin muskrats early last spring – and have kept them out ever since.

We planted 24 new water lilies this month as well (they’ll show up in force by mid-June) – and will be restocking fish on the 13th of May – Fathead Minnows and Blue Gills.

Pond Sightings – Jerie and I have both spotted plenty of frogs already, herons, two Canadian geese,

1 mallard, various bugs, some dragon flies, the ubiquitous red wing blackbirds (they love reeds and ponds), two water snakes – adult and juvi … and the occasional chocolate lab.

This one eats water lilies.  We’re training him not to do that.

Plus … this dandylion …