Late last week, I ventured out in the kayak, at one of my local Cass County conservation areas, to check on the progress of fall colors and wildlife activity … I had a wonderful morning on all accounts! As soon as I launched Rubber Ducky (my trusted kayak) into the water, I began paddling to my favorite spot in the conservation area. On the way there, I had a couple of beavers busy in the water in the path I take to get to my destination. After watching them scurrying about to “hide” from me, I continued to the clearing. Once stopped, I had another couple of beavers come by the kayak:
This adult beaver swam around the clearing, often stopping to watch me, for about 10 minutes. Shortly after this beaver left, a juvenile beaver swam right up to the kayak, where he gave me a nice “tail slap” on the water, just a few feet from me … how exillerating! Once he left, the action picked right back up with raccoons … including this one that ambled through the woods to the edge of the water, where he looked up at me once he heard the motor drive of my camera capturing his every move:
After this raccoon left, I was joined by another, younger one. He foraged at the edge of the water for a few minutes, then climbed up a tree to a nest area he often uses here (I’ve seen him climb up the tree on several occasions). But I’ll save those photos for another post. I then had some more beaver activity in the area. As I watched and photographed them scurrying about, I noticed the brilliant fall reflections that were in the water in front of me, creating a Monet-like “painting” on the water canvas:
The water was very still at this time of the morning, except when the beavers swam by, causing the above rippling throughout the water. Whenever this happened, the quantity of fall colors displayed in the water increased by many-fold. This is one of the reasons fall is my favorite season … the beautiful colors and the increased wildlife activity as they prepare for the upcoming winter season. And I really love those busy fall days from the kayak!