Lake Manitoba

Related to Beaver?  No.  Related to a Rat?  No.  It is said they are more likened to an overgrown field mouse.  Thick, richly coloured fur which keeps them warm in the icy cold waters throughout winters.  They build little mud/reed lodges for sleeping and eating in.

They are active during the later hours of the day. Muskrats do not have webbed feet and their tail is bald; both feet and tail are sparsely covered with fine hairs.  Their tail is long and more round than flat and does look like a rat tail. They use musk glands to scent their trails and communicate. Muskrats are found in slower moving rivers, streams and marshy areas and inhabit virtually all areas of North America. Valued for their fur, they are trapped in large numbers and they have numerous air borne and land predators. In spite of this their population remains healthy.  There are many fascinating facts (how they have adapted to eating underwater) about these mammals which have so well adapted to their aquatic habitats.  Check out the following Muskrat Fact Sheet at Hinterland Who’s Who

Below:  A good view of the hind feet

Below:  A muskrat’s tail – round and bare

Muskrats use their front feet like hands to grip their preferred food like cat tails.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

First the Correction Notice . . . There are a few birds in the Birds of Manitoba Gallery that are NOT native to Manitoba.  They are: Stellar Jay, Rufous Hummingbird and Clarks Nutcracker.  These birds are native to Alberta and British Columbia.  Thanks to a very astute birder ( Gary B. ) in Winnipeg who pointed out that not everyone viewing the gallery may know this -  I had placed them in the Manitoba Birds gallery simply because they are “birds” . . . A new gallery has been added entitled ” Birds- Other Provinces”.

Now on to the Sanderlings . . . These pretty little shorebirds reside in the Arctic regions but I happened upon them on the shores of Lake Manitoba during their migration period.  They scooted in and out of the waves along the shore and searched the sand for food.  I hope you enjoy these photos of our migrant visitors.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

These photos were taken on the drive up to Steeprock, Manitoba.  On the way back we stopped here and there and cut back across a few country roads.  It was a lovely autumn day for our jaunt out to the Interlake country. Above:  Old wooden doors on a shed flanked by some autumn coloured shrubs. Below:  An abandoned farmhouse, a lone bunch of wild asters growing in an open field, two black bullies in a pasture and some horses with braided manes.

Enjoy!

~Sharon