The Lilies of the Pond

When I was a child, I had a book entitled Pond Life.  I can't tell you who the author or publisher might have been, and when I looked online to see if I could figure it out, I was presented with more than one option. In any event, it was a small field guide (or in this case, pond guide) describing the habitat, life cycles and other interesting facts about ponds and the flora and fauna living in, on and around them. It was a great little book. That small volume gave me an abiding appreciation for the amazing variety of living things that lurk in the shallows. I'll be doing a few posts about the pleasures of ponds....

The water lilies and also the yellow pond lilies are beautiful this time of year. These flowers were close to the observation deck, but just a little farther out from the edge there is obvious pressure being brought to bear (or muskrat) on these plants.

 

It turns out that muskrats love water lilies and pond lilies. This year, a successful and very happy family of muskrats has been merrily munching its way through what is usually a very lush carpet of leaves decorated lavishly with blossoms.  As a result, there are now large areas that have been reduced to a bunch of lily twigs sticking out of the water.

It's nothing to worry about. The lilies will undoubtedly recover and reclaim their rightful status as cover and protection for the underwater denizens of the marsh.

In the meantime, it's fun to watch these guys swim to and fro, devouring as they go - and I can honestly report that they have extremely hearty appetites. 

Baloo would have really loved this walk. He found muskrats endlessly fascinating and would sit quietly on the observation deck watching with rapt attention as they went about their appointed business.