Dead mussel shells

[Woodenstiks]

Anyone notice there seems to be a lot of dead mussel (clams?) shells in The shallows this year on the west arm side of the lake? Maybe i never really noticed it before but the number of empty shells caught my attention this spring . Any biologists out there?

[fishmagnet]

Maybe the way the ice was pushed this year?

[Woodenstiks]

Yeah i was thinking that too. The ice formation was at a lower lake level than other years I've seen maybe they just got stranded in the ice formation.

[dockboy]

Hey Woodensticks, we are just down the way from you and have a pair of otters that tour the shoreline, they could be the answer to your question.

North American river otters, like most predators, prey upon the most readily accessible species. Fish is a favored food among the otters, but they also consume various amphibians (such as salamanders and frogs[3]), freshwater clams, mussels, snails, small turtles and crayfish. The most common fish consumed are perch, suckers, and catfish.[4] Instances of North American river otters eating small mammals, such as mice and squirrels, and occasionally birds have been reported as well. There have also been some reports of river otters attacking and even drowning dogs.[5][6][7]

Cheers

[Woodenstiks]

Haven't seen the Otters yet dockboy but sounds logical. Ill keep an eye out for them ...got a sneaking suspicion they use the boathouse for an overnight stay now and then. Every once in a while ill enter hear a big splash but never see what caused it. Thought it was the local beaver ....

[Grumpa]

Muskrats also eat them...along with crayfish and a wide variety of water plants.
Had muskrats under our dock cribs 10 years ago...shells everywhere.

[Woodenstiks]

Hey Dockboy ~ The rest of the story goes like this -last week im outside doing chores and i notice my lab is nowhere to be seen. I hear a big splash and figure she’s up to no good chasing whatever down at the boathouse. I hike down there calling her and can hear snorting under the boathouse floor like someone gasping for air. There is a few inches of air between the water level and floor and to get under there you just have to swim underwater past the beams. Well i figure my pooch who i still haven't seen has swam under there chasing a water snake and cant get out. I can still hear snorting. So i run back to the garage grab a hammer and crowbar and then back to the boathouse. I get in there and start calling the dog near where i hear the snorting trying to coax her out. Im about to start ripping up a floorboard when i catch sight of my dog sitting quietly behind me with a expression like wondering what the hell All the commotion was about. Just then two otter heads pop up in the lake beside the boathouse swimming on their backs looking at the both of us. I swear they were laughing..........

[Fozzy47]

Hey Woodenstiks, loved you post....and yes, they were probably laughing, along your dog ....lol.

Cheers,

[robertmowen]

My family has always called them mink instead of otters. Looking at a range map, there should be mink too. Has anyone seen both? The differences suggested via a quick google search says the differences are subtle.

[Dutch]

Otters are much bigger. Mink are 0.5 - 1.5 kgs., Otters are over 5 kgs, I'd say.