Animals in water at night?

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troutman

Nomad
May 14, 2012
273
4
North East (UK)
So, I was upon in Scotland a couple of weeks back hammocking about 20 feet from the side of a fresh water loch. I was woken up at around 1am by the sound of something in the water beside me, being comfy and warm in my hammock (and with a tarp obscuring my view) I didn’t bother to look what it was.

Thinking about it the closest sound I can think of is a person wading through shallow water (it’s possible, but I didn’t hear any other movement). Any suggestions as to what it could have been? I’m guessing a deer but surely their thinner legs wouldn’t cause as much noise as say someone wading? It was quite a pronounced series of splashes / water being moved that went on for about 30 seconds.

Also the shore was quite rough shale but I didn’t hear anything on that!

Also realise I have now opened up a world of Loch Ness monster jokes ;)
 

Greenbeard

Tenderfoot
Jan 15, 2018
66
42
28
North yorkshire
It could be a beaver, I was up in Scotland last year next to loch Tay and along the river Tay there were suspect looking chippings and felled saplings. At first I thought it was a numpty testing out an axe but the cuts were curved like an adze. I asked the owner of a fishing shop and he said that beavers had been introduced there. Maybe it's just a wind up or a tourism booster?
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
What do you have for nocturnal animals, predators included?
Everything mink-sized and bigger. Maybe even ducks?

Everybody on my list is quite carefree and noisy, splashing about.
My list isn't your list, the smaller, the quieter. The bears don't care, they run the show anyway.
But I'd believe that beaver are quiet, both day and night unless disturbed.
 
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Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
1,981
975
Canada
Otters

I took my daughter out in a canoe on one of the Gulf Islands here a few summers back ... about twilight and deadly still. Ahead I saw the Loch Ness Monster, a writhing sinuous thing snuckling through the water. Turned a corner and found a small dock and there it was popping out of the water. A family of otters. Civil, talkative types, they nodded a few friendly remarks and moved on :)
 
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JohnC

Full Member
Jun 28, 2005
2,624
82
62
Edinburgh
Did hear (and see) wallabies down at the lochside when camping on Inchconnachan Island on Loch Lomond some years back.. Don't know if they are still there...
 
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