A sunny day invited me to go to Bisset Lake Park and walk the bridge trail across Bissett Brook. Recent rains had flooded the low areas on the stream bank.
At first I thought the beaver lodge was flooded as only the top third was above water. Then a movement under the trees showed a brown furry animal motoring through the water, leaving a V shaped wake behind him. When he came to a land barrier he climbed up on the tussock and became a somewhat awkward doughnut shaped animal before taking to the water again. In water, like a well-designed boat his progress was smooth. At his lodge he dove, disappearing in the doorway. So the lodge has not been flooded out.

Met the local councillor on the bridge, the one who pushed for the making of the bridge and continuing the trail. She tells me the beavers have been cutting down trees and making dams upstream and flooding people's yards! Territorial conflict!

A walker tells me that otters have moved in to the beaver lodge, and the two species live together in the duplex! I wonder how they assign space! I don't suppose they share food, as otters like fishie things and frogs, while beavers seem to be vegetarians.

A lonely mallard drake came cruising along, swimming among the trees where in summer would be dry land. His repeated quacks were not answered. For a long time I saw his iridescent green neck flashing as he went his way in the flooded woodland.