Because the beaver isn't just an animal; it's an ecosystem!

Month: September 2010

Riches from History

Beaver Behavior, Video September 30, 2010

Yesterday I found this historical footage of Grey Owl on the web. Since I had seen only still images I never imagined that they were from an actual movie. It was like seeing pages leap to life. You will probably remember that Grey Owl (Archibald Bellamy) was a trapper who became a beaver advocate at the turn of the century in Canada. It was generally believed at the time that he was half native, although it later came out that he was fully British. This created somewhat of a controversy as much of Canada felt ‘duped’ by his pretense at nativity. Looking at this footage the man looks so entirely anglo I can’t imagine anyone being successfully fooled.

Regardless of his parentage, Grey Owl did remarkable, needed, powerful things to highlight the value of beavers and their plight at the time. It is no exaggeration to say he single-handedly changed the attitude towards beavers and kick-started the conservation movement. His writings are delightful and attentive to the creatures, and one of my most treasured gifts was a copy of his second book signed by “Grey Owl” himself.

In 1999 the story of Grey Owl was turned into a movie with Pierce Brosnan, directed by Richard Attenborough. Our own friend Sharon Brown helped them find beavers for the starring role, and the movie can be purchased through the Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife site. All true beaver believers should own a copy. It contains more original footage as well. Cinematically  speaking,  I thought the movie itself was a fairly un-climactic look at a great man’s life, and could complain about the lighting, the acting, the editing and the sound quality, but the unmatched beaver performances were FLAWLESS!  Such grace and power! I liked this speech a lot.

Great beaver viewing last night. Two kits milling about enjoying willow and blackberries. Then one went over for a short time before coming back with a sibling right behind! A beaver train! We hadn’t even known one was downstream. It was too dark for footage but images of the beaver procession would have been one to treasure!

Discovery

Beaver Behavior, Video September 29, 2010

Have you ever been down to see the beavers in the morning, when no one else is there, and the only sounds are train whistles and garbage trucks? All the noisy drunks are asleep, and no one is even out walking their dogs yet?. Then a sighting seems less like ‘meeting an old friend’ and more like a Grand Discovery. That’s how it was the June morning when I first spotted this year’s kit. We only saw one at first. It took a few weeks before we knew about the TRIO.

All month I had been waking up with a sense of “ITS TIME!!!” even though it would have been much better for me to sleep for another hour. It could hardly have been rational since we never saw a kit last year and mom was obviously not well. Even though I told myself it was probably not possible, I found my groggy self in the stillness at the bridge, waiting. Foremost in my mind were two blessed mornings two and three years ago when I had stumbled down at dawn and been greeted by furry wonders. The first time, June 13th 2007, when I was alone and discovered my first ever kit will always be such a startling, dramatic memory. I can’t tell you how forcefully I didn’t expect it. Forget Dads and Grads, June is now forever the month of new kits. Every summer after I have remembered that wonder and half-expected to feel it again – I certainly wasn’t thinking about the hundreds of times I came and saw nothing. (Any truly compulsive gambler only remembers her successes.)

We were so happy to find out that we had as many as three! And have been so comforted by how finely they seem to have grown so far. Clearly they are well on their way to becoming their own beavers. October will mark their 5th month. We’ve seen them all go over the dam and forage on their own. We’ve seen them mudding and putting sticks on the dam now. But it all started with the discovery: A morning alone with wonder. When I saw this remarkable video yesterday it reminded me so much of that feeling, I thought I would share.

Our Beavers in Bay Nature

Beaver News, Friends of Martinez Beavers September 28, 2010

So the October-December Issue of Bay Nature was in my mailbox yesterday. And guess what adorned the last page?

Remember the night last month where John Muir Laws came to sketch our beavers?  This is what it was for! He was cajoled into coming to see our remarkable family by some very kind docents from Audubon Canyon that attended my Close to Home talk. They all came together, oohed and ahhed appreciatively at the right things, and finished the evening with burritos and salad in the park. It was a pretty magical night – Jack Laws has a way of making nature feel vibrant and accessible. The evening stands out in my memory as almost churchlike — but way more fun than church. The feeling of being the only person to enter an expansive stunning Cathedral in the morning when light is pouring in through the stained glass windows. Or maybe a gnarled bay grove along a valley basin that just looks like a Cathedral.

If you would like to pick up your very own commemorative issue for the grandchildren go here, but if you don’t already take this magazine you really should subscribe! It will tell you everything you need to understand the natural parts of the Bay Area and Beyond. They’ve been interested friends of the Martinez Beavers since way back. I’m still waiting for the four page exposé on the relationship between beavers and salmon, but someday it will come, I’m sure.

Beaver Advocate Manque, III

Beavers elsewhere September 27, 2010