The truth is out there

Weird and wonderful things have happened by the river, strange going-ons and only now and again does the truth become apparent.

I'll give you a wee example, my beaver watching years have consisted of me acting somewhat strangely. Who in their right mind would spend their winter evenings by the river in sub zero conditions nightly just to make sure the local beaver family was ok? Well, I was a regular visitor, come hell or literally high water I was by the river in freezing conditions, major floods in my waders up to my knees in a torrent of flood water, snow, gales, hard frost........I was there looking out for my family.

It was on a February evening a few years back in freezing conditions after a wee snow fall that I found myself by the river (yet again). As I approached the river the clouds disappeared and an incredible sight became apparent, no not some UFO or anything of the sorts, it was the sky. Totally awesome with little or no light pollution, Orions belt looking totally magnificent and a joy to behold.

Sorry, had to nick a wee pic from google images.

Anyway, back to the X-files stuff and "the truth being out there"! All is not always what it seems as I was to find out.

As well as admiring the beautiful sky I was also keeping an eye on the river and an ear out for any movement beside the riverbank. A quiet "Croak" was heard, frog methinks and went to investigate as it was bloody cold and very doubtful that any amphibian would be out and about. In my "stealth" mode I went to investigate and as I reached the riverbank I flicked on my head torch in the direction of the very close recurring croaking. And there it was, a snoring heron. All hell broke lose as I awoke it from it's slumber, "CROAK, CROAK, CROAK", it's wing tips swishiing by my nose as it took flight. My heart was going ten-to-the-dozen, adrenalin in overdrive and to be truthful I got the fright of my life, but what a fright, brilliant :-D

Now feeling ultra confident, I switched into "ninja" mode and was taking a wee step at at a time by the river. It was then I spotted something moving in the corner of my eye..........could it be my quarry the beaver? I dropped silently like a petal, (as per my martial arts training,,,,oragami) onto the deck and into the frost and snow. It was still there, swimming slowly, head bopping up and down with the river. I couldn't believe my luck, a beaver, in the moonlight, only yards from me. It floated, as they do when on patrol, with the river. I hunkered down like an SAS soldier, crawling silently along side my prey. It was moving slow, I followed it's movements, stalking it's travel downstream. It was getting even closer and I must have crawled at least 50 yds on my belly before I covertly nipped ahead of it and took shelter behind a willow in a discrete spot that I could observe closely this creature of the night. And there it was, right in front of me, 2 feet from me this incredible floating being...............a rugby ball!!!!!