While watching our ducks swimming in the pond the other day, Carter, my little nature guru, spotted an unidentified swimming object. He summoned me to the dock to have a look. By the time I got there, he had determined that it was a little muskrat. Together we watched it swim across the pond and come out on the bank opposite us. We decided to get a closer look, though Carter had to warn me.
"Watch out for the smell, Mom."
"Smell?"
"Yes, that's how they got their name."
"Oh."
This is how most of my conversations go with Carter. Sometimes he points out things, like this with the muskrat, that seem so obvious once he mentions them. Other times his observations are more subtle, though no less able to make me feel dumb as a post. Just yesterday, I was very excited to discover a belted kingfisher flying back and forth above the pond. I shared this with Carter, who immediately began referring to it as "she". It didn't really sink in at the time he said it. But later, when I went to look it up for my bird of the day picture, I discovered that females have a smudge of reddish brown on their breasts which males do not have. So, when Carter called it "she," he was quite correct. As he usually is.
Anyway, our little muskrat didn't let us get very close. He swam away and dove under the water. I would love to have gotten a picture of him, but no luck. Here's a cute one that I found online, though:
We've seen him two other times, so perhaps he will become a permanent resident. Carter informs me muskrats are related to lemmings, not rats, which makes them infinitely more appealing to me. As for the smell, well, I never got close enough to vouch for that one. I'm just going to take Carter's word for it.
If I was your neighbor and had an even better zoom lens I could have snagged a photo for you out of my kitchen window. Ok, not very practical, especially since you are fully capable, but this was my first thought :-)
ReplyDeleteCarter is quite a kid. I love the way children think.
Just one more reason for you to be my neighbor. :-)
ReplyDeleteI know this comment is going to make you cringe Jen...but Muskrats are much cuter when they are alive. Until now I have never seen one living. Brian's dad and Grandfather use to trap them. They would skin them and sell the pelts and eat them or sell their meat...yuck if you ask me. Anyway the only muskrat I have ever seen until today was one Brian's Dad was getting ready to cook, and yes they stink! I am glad that I now have a better image to put with that ugly name they have.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Rachelle. I may be a tree hugger, as my dad would say, but I'm still a country girl. The farmer who used to live across the street from us was a big fan of muskrat trapping. I have to say, they smell good when cooking, if memory serves. But, yes, they are much cuter alive.
ReplyDeleteI didn't stick around long enough to smell it cooking. The smell of it before it was cooking was enough for me not to want to eat it. I am sure there is a reason for that. Maybe they dont want to be eaten,...just a guess.
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