A swimming Canadian beaver is basically a living, breathing, waterproof potato with a vendetta against the sound of running water. While it looks like an awkward, chubby log on land, once it hits the water, it transforms into a highly-engineered aquatic missile. The Propeller: It uses its giant, scaly tail as a rudder and its webbed back feet as oars to hit speeds of up to 8 km/h. The Goggles: It has built-in transparent third eyelids that act like natural swimming goggles, allowing it to navigate murky ponds without losing sight of its next "unauthorized" dam project. The Stealth Mode: Despite its size, it can stay submerged for up to 15 minutes, often leaving nothing behind but a trail of bubbles that trackers use to find their "runs" under the ice. The Dramatic Exit: If you surprise one, it won't just swim away; it will perform a "tail slap"—a loud, aggressive smack on the water's surface that sounds like a gunshot and serves as a "get out of my pond" alarm to its family. Baby beavers (kits) are so fluffy they are physically incapable of diving; they just bob on the surface like sentient corks until they grow enough to overcome their own buoyancy.

Meanwhile in Canada: Rent in Toronto is too high, so I’m building a stick fort in Grenadier Pond. 🦫

#CdnPoli #HighParkTail #Wildlife #TorontoBeaverWatch
#OhMyDouglas #HighParkHustle #Nature #GnawtyButNice #WoodYouBeaverIt #TrueNorthStrongAndFurry #CanadianCutenessOverload #EhGameStrong #Art

A juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii). This identification is based on its brown upperparts, streaked underparts, and yellow eye color, which darkens to red as they mature. The hawk is perched and looking intently off to the left of the frame, suggesting it may be scanning for prey or observing its surroundings. Cooper's hawks typically hunt by stealth, approaching prey through dense cover. The photograph uses a shallow depth of field, keeping the hawk in sharp focus while the background is softly blurred (bokeh). The background features autumnal colors—yellows, oranges, and greens—which provides a warm contrast to the bird's plumage. The lighting appears natural and highlights the texture of the feathers and the branch.

This is my still very new Samsung Fit3 ... where I've loaded up a few of my own images, of which this Coopers hawk in the other picture has a profile here too.

I’ve got my 'eyes on the fries' — and by fries, I mean voles.
#Birds 🌿🪶🦅🦉🍁

#TheEyesHaveIt #OhMyDouglas #HawkwardTeenager #TorontoBirdLife #HighParkHustle #Wildlife #Art #JuvenileDelinquent #YellowEyeGuy #HungryHungryHawk #TorontoEats #HighParkNature #RaptorWatch2026 #Photography