Lake Waters have begun to Ebb

These pictures are from late Thursday evening… The Creek is within its banks now. Just mud remains.

Mom Cat Paisley and I observe this!

****

Last night around 6 PM I was looking out the Nook window at the rising waters. Since the time of day is so dim in being able to see clearly, I looked again at what appeared to be a fast moving piece of wood coming into shore.

***

You see when the river, creek or what ever is on the rise, all the debris is focused in the middle of the body of water. When the waters begin to subside the debris ends up on the shores.

**********

For today [this was Thursday eve] I re named our Creek Lake Dee… I rubbed my eyes; re cleaned my glasses and looked again. MERCY it was either a muskrat or a mink that was swimming on the waters edge, not a piece of hapless wood.

***

So how to decide based upon this information!

***

The muskrat or musquash (Ondatra zibethicus), the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats. It plays an important role in nature and is a resource of food and fur for humans, as well as sometimes being a pest.

***

Muskrat ***********

****************** "Chiefly aquatic; moves overland, especially in autumn....Builds house in shallow water; also burrows in banks; entrances usually underwater

********

Pictures here;

***

A mink is any of several furry, dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and the otters. It is naturally found in North America, northern Europe, and most of Russia west of Ural Mountains MINK Another SITE: American Mink

***

The mink has a long, sleek body about two feet long. It has short, stubby legs; a long neck; small ears and eyes and a long, thick tail. In fact, one third of the mink's length is its tail!

Another SITE:

The mink digs its den in riverbanks or it finds a hollow log or an abandoned beaver or muskrat den. It never uses the same den for long.

************

So I am back to square ONE…I need to see the critter again because as I see it, it could have been either one.

The stakes to hold the target for sighting purposes

GONE My Apple Tree Root Seat to observe flora and fauna GONE

a different SKIRT for a Christmas Tree