I spotted this varmint on my walk yesterday afternoon. Didn't seem to care that I was there watching, or that the water is super cold, brrrr!
My first thought was beaver - I love beaver. There are signs that there's beaver in that area. For example, several good sized trees gnawed to the ground! However, this rodent is NOT a beaver.
First sign, too much of it's body is above water as it's swimming -
Second sign, it's face it too elongated and pointy -
The third and final sign, circled in red, it's tail! As you all know, a beaver has a flat tail. This critter had a long thin tail, see?!
That would then make this water rodent a Muskrat!