On my drive home from work yesterday I noticed that almost all the ice is gone from the local ponds; including the one that I've been visiting.  The beavers have been busy; adding mud and reeds to their dam.  They are preventing the water from flowing through the culvert so the pond is close to overflowing its banks.  Over the course of three days, they have added four inches in height to the entire length of the dam.  

As the beavers worked, a muskrat came by.  It scampered onto the dam as if inspecting the work being done.  Hunger called and it soon was hunkered down in the cat tails looking for new green growth.

The ducks and geese have arrived on the pond.  I won't be able to visit for the next few days but there should be even more action by the time I get back there.  Spring has arrived.