Weather is moving in from the north today. It is a raw day. We put in and I showed S where the beaver has been marching up and down the outside of its lodge making repairs for the winter. It has been very industrious lately and there were many stripped branches on the little island (I call the "workbench") next to the lodge. We spotted both eagles sitting together in a birch tree on one of the marshy islands and they held still until we were within 30yds. I paddled while S watched with binoculars. I pointed out the different ducks (there were quite a few teal today) as we continued, but S outdid me when she spotted three nutria sitting quietly, just 10 feet from the canoe (see photo). The nutria came from South America and in our region they are fur farm escapees and pests. They overgraze, girdle trees and dig burrows that damage wetland root systems. Nutria are a bit larger than muskrats. The above link will take you to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries where you can see one of their nutria eradication methods.
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