Surprise Encounter

   This morning when I was on the pier awaiting the sunrise, a slight splashing sound could be heard coming down the shoreline.  Something was swimming right next to the marsh from the east toward the pier.  At this time of the morning, it could have been just about anything....so I waited.   The wake line soon came into view but the critter was still hidden by the darkness.  I sat motionless as I wished to see what friend was out at the same time I was.

  After just a few moments, my critter friend came into view, swam directly beneath where I sat on the pier and, then, realized I was there.  Oops!  The critter turned, eyed me closely before returning to the mouth of the Bayou from where it came.  Ha!  A nutria had not planned on seeing another soul out at the crack of dawn!  I am sorry I unintentionally startled the poor animal even though these critters are not liked by many folks.  As long as the nutrias stay limited in numbers, I am good with them living here and they will as long as the alligators stay.

  After the nutria left, it was time for me to do the same.  I had a good many gardening chores to attend and needed to get a bit of firewood before the cold front moves in tonight.  Its going to be a mite chilly on the pier in the morning!  That nutria and I better not linger too long.

The Story of A Friendship

  As usual, Mark and I headed to the pier late this evening.  And, as usual, we met up with an old friend.  Just as we stepped up on the pier, Mark called my attention to something almost hidden in a clump of marsh grass.  Ahh, a nutria was devouring the root system of a clump of marsh that had grown almost under the pier.  While Mark stayed with the dog, PJ, I eased my way closer to the animal.  I was not sure how it would react to my presence alone much less to both of us and a large dog.  I started snapping photographs at about fifteen feet from the critter.  The nutria looked at me then returned to her supper.  I eased closer yet.  Once again, the nutria looked at me and started its munching once again.  Hmmm...the animal did not seem one bit frightened.  I eased closer.  This time, the critter eyed me cautiously but kept eating.  The animal was intent on getting its fill this evening.  By this time, I was standing almost directly above the critter.  The pier was about four feet higher than the mudflats where the nutria was dining.  Still, no move was made to escape the monster behind the camera.

  Once Mark and PJ started ambling down the pier, the nutria decided that enough was enough and she moved across the small puddle of water.  She now was about fifteen feet away again.  There, she watched us intently but made no move to scurry into the marsh.  We decided to let her continue her meal of marsh roots.  

  Nutrias do a lot of damage to the marshes along the Gulf Coast.  They have a liking for marsh roots and, once the roots are destroyed, the marsh dies and erosion occurs.  That is generally bad news.  Nutrias reproduce rapidly and when you get hundreds of the rodents in any given area, the damage can be great.  Thankfully, the alligators and eagles keep things in check here on the Bayou.  The nutria, today, was actually doing us a favor.  The marsh she was eating had sprouted up right in the mooring spot of our small skiff.  In fact, the entire canal where the boat is launched into the Bay has overgrown.  As it sits, there would be no getting the boat out from its mooring spot.  The little nutria can munch to her heart's content where she was tonight.  Hopefully, there, she will be safe from predators and will live happily under the pier. 

  As I photographed the nutria this evening, I could not help but to think of another some years back.  When Hurricane Katrina hit the Bayou, she stacked debris up against the Little Bayou House some places ten feet deep.  While we were trying to dig our way out, I could hear a weak cry of some small animal buried deep under the debris.  While searching for the stranded animal, I came across a resin cherub lawn ornament and pulled it from the debris.  Under it, I saw a pair of sad eyes.  Under all of that mess, an infant nutria stared up at me as if asking for help.  I reached down and gingerly picked up the critter.  My heart melted a bit.  I did not need to care for a critter at that time as we could barely take care of ourselves.  "Well, Little One, I will release you back into the Bayou and wish you well but that is about all I can do at the moment." I told it.  Down at the marsh edge, I set the little one in the water and was fully surprised to hear it squeak again.  Then, from the marsh an adult came swimming toward us.  Mama and Baby were reunited after the most destructive storm to ever hit here.  I felt good.  Tears welled up inside me as I stood amidst the total devastation that we were fighting.  I needed to see something positive and it took a pair of rodents to bring that to me.  Maybe that is why I have a soft spot for these critters even though most folks hate them.  

Coypu! The "New Taste"!

  Ok, so I admit that I will just about give anything in the food world a try. I have no qualms about tasting things for the first time.  Granted, sometimes I refuse to take a second bite because I highly dislike the taste but, at least, I will give things a fair taste test.  Living on the Bayou, I will say that I have tried a lot of things that other folks deem inedible. Chalk it up to curiosity or perhaps to stupidity but as long as it is not going to make me ill, it is fair game...so to speak.  Still, there is one critter that I have not tried as food.  The coypu or "bayou rabbit" has not made it to my dining table nor even to the kitchen, for that matter. The odd thing is, I have never had the inkling to even sample the meat. Perhaps I should. Perhaps we all should.  

  Coypu meat is touted as being much leaner than any other meat.  It is said to have more protein than ground beef and yet be very low fat with very little cholesterol.  It can be used like most other meats.  Stew, jambalaya and chili made with coypu are all supposed to be delicious. The meat can be made into jerky and sausage.  With all of these fine ideas and recipes popping up, one would think that this meat would be in high demand.  Not so.

  I am supposing that the other name for the critter turns a lot of folks away from even trying the meat.  Also, the animal's appearance plays a large part in that distaste.  Nutria rats truly do look like large rats and not too many folks are willing to chow down on a rat....real ones or otherwise.  The nutria is not actually a rat as it is more akin to a porcupine than a rat.  (Not that I have ever eaten a porcupine nor a rat, for that matter!)  Still, those coypu (nutria rats, bayou rabbits, whatever name you choose) are always available if the need arises.  AND!  They are just about a sustainable resource at the rate they reproduce. Also, since these are considered an invasive species that cause a lot of damage to marshlands, it is legal to rid the area of them..for whatever reason.  Ahh, yes.  Coypu might be on the menu soon!  Ummmm...just so you will know...it already is on the menu in some restaurants.  So if you do not relish eating nutria rat, do not eat the coypu!

Bye Bye Marsh

  It makes me sad to see how my marsh is disappearing.  Little by little, bit by bit (ok, quite a few feet each year) the shoreline is eroded by waves.  A lot of this is caused by those dear, sweet little nutrias that infest the marsh.  The little ones are so adorably ugly until it is not funny.  (They are ugly simply because of their actions otherwise adorably cute.)  The nutria rats eat the marsh roots and kill off masses of the healthy marsh clumps.  With the marsh dying out, Fleabane has taken over huge sections of the area.  The nutria rats do not seem to find this plant palatable so it is reseeding quickly.  Fleabane is not as root sturdy as marsh grass so this opens the area up to mass erosion and thus a huge loss of land.  My property is shrinking as we speak!  

  I was on the pier yesterday when I noticed the waves beating against the shoreline.  Huge clumps of marsh were being toppled and washed out into the middle of the Bay.  Just this year alone, we have seen a loss of perhaps ten to fifteen feet of marshline.  Couple the voracious appetites of the nutria rats with the wash from high winds and an enormous problem emerges for folks like us that live right on the water. The wide line of marsh creates a natural barrier from storms.  Hurricane waters are buffered a bit before they reach inland.  With the possible threat of a hurricane out on the horizon, thoughts of protection never leave the brain.  My buffer zone has been greatly diminished since the last strong storm hit.  

  I am not sure just what can be done short of eliminating the nutria rats and trying to cultivate marsh.  I have always believed in the mantra of  "Live and let live" but the nutria rats are not keeping up their end of the deal!  They literally are going to eat themselves out of house and home!  Once the marsh is gone, the rodents will have to move to a new stomping ground.  By then, however, it will be too late for the Bayou. It is no wonder that some states offer a bounty for the rascals!  What to do, what to do?

Twins!

Nutria Rats are probably one of the most despised animals that crawl around in the marshes here on the Coast.  Not many folks like them or even tolerate them.  These critters even have a bounty on them!  The going rate is around $5 per tail.  Yep, you heard that right..per tail.  No one wants the entire Nutria Rat, they just want to have proof that you killed the critter.  This seems sort of sad even if they are a problem.  You see, Nutria Rats cause a lot of damage to the marshes.  They have an extreme taste for the roots which undermines the entire "fabric" that holds the marsh together.  Once the root system is severely damaged, the marsh quickly erodes.  Soon the entire area is nothing but mudflats and eroded ground.  The Nutria was brought in to be used by furriers and then allowed to run free.  As adults they do not have a lot of predators. Alligators seem to be the only thing that has a taste for them and with most folks so ready to rid the marshes of gators, the Nutria Rats multiply at a rampant rate.  Hmmm..seems most likely that no one is happy.  The critters are occasionally used as food but I heard one person say that "they taste just like rat!"  Now how in the world did he discover that fact? Ummm..no, I do not want to know.  Still, I have no desire to eat a Nutria Rat!

For the past few days, I have heard a wee animal calling in the marsh.  At times, it sounded like the poor baby was not able to hold its head above the water as I could hear a lot of gurgling with the cries.  Today as I slipped down to the pier to catch the sunrise, I happened upon a small family out for breakfast.  Mama Nutria Rat had her twins learning the fine art of gnawing marsh roots.  As I stepped up on the pier, Mama squeaked a warning to the twins and slid into the water.  She made an effort to splash as much as possible while hoping to distract my attention.  The twins sat perfectly still just a few feet from me. I was able to get a few pictures even through the early morning darkness before Ms. Ez came barreling down onto the pier.  Once the old dog made her appearance, Mama Nutria went berserk!  She started wallowing around in the shallow water as if she was hurt.  The little ones moved across the mud to a spot near the marsh.  There was a sort of tunnel through the marsh that led to their nest.  I knew Mama Nutria Rat had nested at the base of a large Palmetto just a few yards from the pier. Once the little ones felt secure, they made a dash for their nest!  Mama Nutria turned and dove under the water.  She went near the outer edge of the marshline and swam a good hundred or so feet before turning into the marsh.  She had taken a long route back home to check on those little ones!

What a tale the little ones had to tell Mama when she returned!  They had faced the monster and won!  I wish to assure Mama Nutria and her little ones that I meant them no harm.  I won't collect any bounty on their tales.  Someone else will have to snare these animals, for here, they are safe. The twins were so adorable with their little webbed feet and beady eyes.  Some day, I may regret letting them have free reign of the marsh but for now, they have my blessings!

The (Not So) Mystery Critter!

Yesterday's mystery critter still remains at large!  Our GameCam only caught photos of a raccoon, a 'possum and a rabbit.  I must admit that the raccoon did look like a possible suspect as in the picture, I am not at all sure if it had a tail.  Our tailless, mystery critter might just be a tailless raccoon!  It is possible..if there is such a thing.  Here on the Bayou anything is possible.  I suppose a raccoon could lose its tail to an alligator!  Anyway, for now the mystery critter from yesterday's post remains just that..a mystery!

This morning when I was on the pier, a not-so-mystery critter paid me a visit.  Ms. Ez and I were just sitting there minding our own business when in popped an old friend!  Of course, this was my old friend and, well, Ms. Ez's possible critter-to-chase!  A fat nutria rat waddled in to munch a bit of the marsh grass as breakfast.  While Friend Nutria ate, Ms. Ez and I made no effort to conceal our presence.  This did not seem to bother the nutria one bit.  Breakfast was evidently more important than having an audience.

This is not say that the critter was not watching us.  Periodically, the nutria would look up and stare at the dog and me as if pondering why we were so peaceably sitting there.  If it only knew that Ms. Ez would have jumped in that marsh after it had I let her.  Her legs were twitching with anticipation while watching the critter!

Not once did the nutria show fear of either the dog or me.  Perhaps it knew that we meant it no harm.  It did, however, shuffle away quite quickly when a large heron flew in to hunt for breakfast!  Hmmph, I like that!  The nutria is more afraid of a bird than of me or the dog?  I cannot see the reasoning behind that idea!  With the nutria gone, Ms. Ez and I decided to spend a bit more time watching the heron!  Life on the Bayou is fascinating..if you have patience!  Ms. Ez and I have no problem sitting on the pier watching critters!

Busy as a beaver...err...nutria rat!

After a full day of going through what seemed like mountains of accumulated "stuff", I headed out the front door.  With Ms. Ez close behind, I wandered the hillside.  The cooling air of the late afternoon felt delightfully refreshing and I do believe Ezzy felt the first hint of fall in the air.  She pranced around like a pup instead of the old dog she is.  She wanted to sniff the air and bolt after any squirrel that dared to make a dash from tree to tree.  Finally she settled into the calm pace behind me and acted more like a protector than a gleeful pup.  Her half hour of play had worn her out to the point that my slow paced trek was pleasing to her.  We finished our walk in relative quietness.

As I was nearing the small persimmon tree near the marsh edge, a movement caught my eye.  Something large was coming out of the marsh.  I put my hand on Ez's head and she sat.  The motion is her command for sitting still and watching. We stayed as still as church mice as we watched the marsh grasses sway with the steady pace of some animal.  Then out popped a nutria.  This large rat-like critter paid us no heed as it was on a mission!  Michael has been mulching around the old oak trees that sit practically in the Bayou waters.  As mulch he has been using the natural debris that washed in with the recent hurricane.  This is nothing more than dead marsh grass and small twigs and makes perfect mulch for any areas that can stand salt.  The nutria rat had other intentions for this mulch, though.  I watched as she would gnaw the pieces into workable sizes and then stuff her cheeks full of the softened grasses.  Away she would go..through the couple of feet of marsh grass to the waters of the Bayou.  There she swam until she came to a sloop in the shore and dove under.  After about ten minutes, she would pop back up out of the water and come back to the mulch pile.  This went on and on until Ms. Ez decided that she could sit still no longer.  We had been watching for nearly thirty or forty minutes and the nutria had made four trips.

The nutria's actions were not unusual.  She was on a mission...a mission to build a nest!  Obviously she had already found, reclaimed or dug the tunnel up under the marsh.  Once the tunnel was cleared, she most likely dug a chamber that would serve as her nursery or her overwintering home.   Her trips to the mulch pile were made to collect soft materials to build up a mound inside the chamber and to line her nest.  This would keep her and her kits warm and dry come this winter.  The underwater entrance would protect her and the kits from most predators.  Although the nutria rats are considered to be a nuisance and an invasive species, I must say that they have adapted well.  They are quite adept at surviving.  As long as she does not present us with hundreds of little nutria rats over the next few years, she will be allowed to stay in the Bayou.  The alligators usually manage to keep the population in check so as long as no one rids the Bayou of my gators, we will be ok!  Little Ms. Nutria...build your nest in peace and stay snug this winter!

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!

My new lawn..err..marsh mower!

I was out wandering around the hillside late this afternoon thinking of how I really should be cutting the almost knee-high grass! Nope..not happening!  At least not this evening, I can cut grass tomorrow..or the next day..or next week! I was taking a hike not pushing a lawn mower!  In my mind, a hike is not worth its salt if it does not include at least a few steps on the pier so I headed in that direction.  I love being on the pier as that is where I find most of my critter friends.  Perhaps they share an equal love for the water or perhaps I just interrupt their mealtimes!  I did do just that this evening.  No sooner had I stepped on the pier than I heard a strange crunching noise!  What was that??? I froze in my footsteps as I listened trying to decipher where the noise was.  It was then that I saw my friend the nutria.  The large rat-like creature was munching away on the marsh grass roots just a few feet from me!  Aha!  So that is what has been trimming the marsh grass in neat, hedge-like precision!  I had noticed a few days ago that the reeds were being trimmed back in perfect unison just like a hedge-trimmer would do.  The tops of the grass were laid over in nice bundles to be washed away with the tide.  The nutria rat was trimming the marsh just like I should be doing the lawn!

There is only one major problem with the nutria chewing away on the roots of the marsh grass.   The rodent actually "attacks" the root mat of the marsh.  This life-giving mat secures the marsh clumps to the mud and once that mat is violated, the clump cannot survive.  The normal flow of the tide and waves created by boaters cause mass erosion once the root mat has been damaged.  This erosion has a devastating effect on the surrounding wildlife.  Healthy marshes act like filters for the tide waters.  Sediment (and nutrients) are cleaned from the waters with each turn of the tide.  These same marshes provide nesting areas for water fowl, aquatic mammals, reptiles and crustaceans.  They all depend on a healthy marsh. Nutria rats nest in the marshes but reproduce at such a massive rate that if left unchecked they would soon over-populate an area.  Their eating habits ruin the very vegetation that provides them shelter.  Once the marsh root mats are ruined, the entire area falls in peril of being desolate.  The nutrias move on to other healthy marshes and leave behind  open areas void of any  grasses.  The wildlife in the area starts to diminish merely because their habitat has been destroyed.

Nutria rats are not native to the area.  They were imported from South America between 1900 and 1930 as a possible fur trade business. A fall in the price of fur and difficulty breeding the animals in captivity led to the abandonment of the whole idea in the early 1940s.  The animals were all released into the wild and soon multiplied tremendously.  Now, these critters are causing mass problems for the coastlines and even inland areas.  One of the only predators of the nutria is the alligator.  Large gators will clear and area of nutria if left to their own accord but most folks panic if they spy an alligator in the area.  They want it removed or killed.  This type of thinking has been a boon for the nutria.  They can go about doing their damage to the marshes since folks would rather have a furry critter in their back yards than a helpful alligator swimming in the Bayou!

Personally, I like alligators!  I do not have a problem with the nutria rats overrunning the Bayou since I do allow my gators to reign supreme! This natural process has pretty much kept things in check.  Nature doing its job. My little friend, Nutria, watch your step!  Big Mama Gator would love to dine upon you!  Oh..and if you would...please come trim a bit of the grass up the hill a bit. It sure needs cutting!

Hair Cap Moss

This afternoon's walk was rather interesting. My husband and I set out on one of my "treks" around the place..I was hoping to catch some good photography moments and he..well..was sort of humoring me since it was my birthday. I am quite sure he did not really enjoy my "style" of walking as I tried to be as quiet as possible and I made frequent stops to photograph anything that struck my fancy. After several near collisions with him because of my sudden stops to take a picture of a plant or moss, he decided to wander off a bit. I think he would have been much happier at home taking a nap than fighting the briers in the woods! Still, I do appreciate his company even though this might have been a one-time occurrence!

Moss covered oak limb!

As we were walking down an old, abandoned lane, I whispered, "Oh, look!!" He peered around expecting to see something as elusive as Bigfoot, as exciting as Yeti or perhaps at least a bunny. Instead.. today's find..Hair Cap Moss! Exciting to me..boring to him. I received a look that was somewhat of bewilderment..disbelief that I could be so ecstatic over some little green squishy stuff under his foot. But it is HAIR CAP MOSS..I tried to explain to him..so beautiful! He sort of shrugged his shoulders and mumbled something to make me think he understood. I was rapt..Hair Cap Moss!

Hair Cap Moss!

I suppose I should explain why I am so elated to find mosses in close proximity of our place. I am secretly planning a moss garden! (It is not really a secret..I just have not told Hubby and Son, yet..I will spring this extra work on them when they least expect it! The digging of gardens does not set well with them unless it is a food producing type of garden and well, to be honest, I am not sure they would love to eat moss!) There is one spot of our yard, down close to the Bayou edge, that stays moist and is mostly shady. Nothing else will grow there but it should be the perfect place for a moss garden! I have been taking not of the growths of mosses and ferns so that eventually, I can transplant them into my area.

Later in the evening, I met up with the Nutria Rat at the end of the pier. She was munching on some of the new marsh roots and was hesitant to leave. Ezzy, the dog, and I sat watching Friend Nutria for a while as she swam around in circles trying to decide whether we were friends or foes. After a bit, we let her eat in peace and Ezzy and I headed to the house.

Nutria rats and ospreys!

Nutria rats.. hmm.. yeah, we covered them before.. back in another post, but when you live on a bayou, nutria rats are a part of daily life. This afternoon, as I was staring blankly out the window lost in deep thought, I was abruptly brought back to Earth by movement in the Bayou. At first, I thought it was an otter playing in the water, but this animal was not nearly as graceful as the otter. This critter was lumbering along the edge of the marsh. Perhaps a raccoon? I slipped out the door with my handydandy camera. As I neared the marsh, I realized it was a nutria rat munching out on mussels that were left high and dry by the north wind. Normally, nutrias are vegetarians but the do occasionally eat insects, crustaceans and mussels. I suppose with the cold weather that we have been experiencing, diets have changed for a lot of the denizens of the Bayou. I assume that the need for nourishment is number one on the list of survival musts and to change to something a tad more filling than marsh roots is natural. This nutria rat never paid me any heed as it fed. Then a thought..if I am cold standing here all dry and snug in my jacket, how in the world does this animal stay warm? With the nights dipping into the low twenties, being wet has to be hard. I know that they dig or ummm..steal burrows (from other animals) in the marsh edge, but surely this burrow must be lined with some plant material to make a dry bed. It also has surprised me in the past to see a mother nutria with several babies tagging along behind in the middle of winter. Personally, it would seem to make much more sense for their birthing season to be in warmer weather! It obviously does not bother them as there seems to be an ever-growing population of these rodents. I watched this one for a while until she swam around the corner of one part of the Bayou. They so remind me of beavers! A large rat-like beaver!

Also watching her, was the osprey. I

know that if the nutria had little ones

trailing behind her, they would have been fair game for the osprey. Those sharp talons could grasp just about anything and a baby nutria rat would have been easy pickings. Today though, the nutria was safe, the osprey had a large mullet in it clasp. Our ospreys have multiplied in the past few years from just one pair to six pairs now. Some of these will soon move to a new territory as food supply and nesting areas become slim. With all of the clearing for construction sites around here, the ospreys and eagles are in dire need of new nesting sites. There are two pairs of ospreys that nest in the back of the Bayou each year. I have grown used to hearing their

screams and hope to always have some nice tall trees for them. My Bayou is dwindling.. the trees are being cut.. houses and roads are being built. A sad day for the wildlife.

Tree Scars

Today, I was reading an article that said that a tree scar like the one shown here is definitely a sign that alligators are in the vicinity. Well, that piqued my curiosity! The picture in the article was almost identical to this one that I took in my front yard. While I am not denying that there are alligators in the Bayou here, I was perplexed by the thought that any 'gator was causing the tree scars. Reading further into the story, I found that the 'gators were not chewing the bark of the unfortunate trees but rather this author is professing that Nutria were the culprits. Nutria are large rat-like critters that are native to South America and were introduced to the United States in the 1930s or so for "fur-farming". The farming did not catch on as a lucrative business but the Nutrias rather enjoyed the living here and decided to stay. The remark about the alligators was purely there because they are one of the few natural predators of the Nutria. The writer stated that where there are Nutria there are surely alligators. Sensationalism! Aha! While I am relieved that the alligators have not taken to eating trees, I would have to argue this whole idea of Nutrias eating them! Sure, they are vegetarians and they do a lot of damage to the roots of the marsh grass but to eat my trees?? Sure, I have too many Nutrias in the Bayou to count, but to say they rip the bark from an oak?? I have never heard of such a thing! To be truthful, I know for a fact that placing the blame of the tree scars in my yard on a poor unwitting rat is ridiculous. No animal chewed the bark on these trees unless you consider a hurricane an animal. I will admit that some hurricanes can be beastly, though! The scars on so many of the trees in the yard were left by debris that was washed or blown in with a storm. Debris as large as the trailer part of a semi truck banged, smashed and careened its way through the trees in my yard during Hurricane Katrina. Almost every tree, bush, and plant in the entire yard was skinned and bruised by these collisions. So, I will not blame the hapless Nutria for the damage done, unless of course someone can prove to me that these semi-aquatic mammals can climb tall trees while gnawing! The second picture was taken of a tree scar that is approximately twenty feet high. (Yes..the tidal surge of Katrina did get that high in my yard.) The sad part is that not all trees survived. About half the trees on my place perished during the storm and we are still losing them even yet. The damaged areas left the tree trunks vulnerable to wood-boring beetles and Carpenter Ants. Since the storm, maybe ten trees per year have died or have become so diseased that they had to be removed. This makes me sad as I relish a shady yard during the summer heat. I have tried to compensate for this loss by replanting although trees take many years to reach the maturity of so many that were lost. As a fast growing replacement, I have been planting fruit trees of all sorts. Hopefully, they will withstand any future storms. And hopefully, even though they do some damage to the marsh, the Nutrias can live on happily in the Bayou. (And hopefully, the alligators will keep the Nutrias in control.) Natural predation!

This evening brought another round of thunderstorms to the Bayou, making my usual trek to the pier nonexistent. As we sat listening to the clang and bang of the thunder, Ezzy and I could only dream of what exciting adventures we might have had if the weather had only been clear. She looked absolutely bored as she flopped down on her rug by the front door. Poor Ezzy..I promise that we shall go out at first light!