Avoiding the issue!

Some of the funniest things happen down near the Bayou.  I was on the pier just about dark when I noticed some critter ambling along on the mudflats.  Never one to be afraid of my bayou critters, I hurriedly slipped close enough to see just what my visitor was!  I walked as silently as I could on the boards of the pier..quietly...quietly...and then...the herd of elephants commonly known as Ms. Ez, the mutt, came barreling down the pier.  I just knew that the thundering footsteps of a sixty-five pound dog would chase my meek little critter plum to the next county!  After I managed to settle the dog down to a mere frenzy of tail-wagging, I looked for the sure-to-be terrified animal.  Much to my surprise, the little furball did not venture far from its original place on the mudflat.  It actually came closer to me!  I laid down on the pier and nearly came face to face with the animal!..err..well, not FACE to face...rather face to the other end!  The critter was a young nutria and in its terror, it hid.  Or so it thought!  The poor little fellow had scurried up to a clump of marsh grass and stuck its head right in the middle of the clump!  The head was well hidden...the rump was not! I started to giggle..this reminded me of the idiom of the ostrich sticking its head in the sand to avoid confrontation!  Perhaps there is a bit of truth in that hard-to-kill myth!  Instead of an ostrich in the sand, the saying should be "like a nutria sticking its head in the marsh"!

I took picture after picture of the nutria rat.   It was getting rather dark so the camera flash was working overtime but not once did this seem to frighten the animal!  He just sat there with his head stuck in that clump of marsh without a care in the world.  Even Ezzy's pier-thumping tail did not bother the nutria! She had not noticed the animal or was just not interested.  I so wanted to reach down and touch him but just as my hand was itching to do so, I remembered those large front teeth.  Ok...so maybe grabbing the nutria would not be a smart idea!  I would have to be content with just watching it.

After nearly twenty minutes of watching the rump of a nutria, I figured that folks would likely think I am a bit touched in the head.  I gathered up my camera equipment, gave one last look at the critter and headed to the Little Bayou House.  Ms. Ez came thundering along behind me totally unconcerned that the little nutria was so near.  Normally, she is beyond excited to find some animal to chase.  Perhaps because this one did not flee when she came down the pier, she figured it was not a lot of fun!  So..maybe that tactic did work...just hide the head and danger will go away!  Good idea!  Avoid the issue!