Month: September 2015

Beaver Snark

This was apparently Mike Callahan’s first professional job ever. It has required additions over the years.

Editorial: Northampton’s lake beavers test conservation creativity

The beavers of Fitzgerald Lake are proving themselves formidable foes of the Broad Brook Coalition, which for years has been trying to regulate the level of the lake and protect a dock used by visitors to this conservation area on the north side of Northampton.

Last month, members of the coalition and a company called Beaver Solutions rolled out what that firm’s owner, in a display of dark humor, called “Plan D.” The beavers pretty much made sawdust of Plans A through C.

Sheesh, you tried four times in 20 years to solve a problem? I’m pretty sure that’s a success that most of us would envy. My Dad used to bring a carburetor with us to switch out on vacation every summer! You have Mike 10 miles away who can tinker when you need to. And in the mean time the beavers have been a ROUSING success at keeping other beavers away with their territorial behavior and increasing inverterbrates with their digging which has fed an expanding fish and bird population. I feel a certain Shakespearean tirade coming on…

What, rouse thee, man! thy Juliet is alive,

For whose dear sake thou wast but lately dead;

There art thou happy: Tybalt would kill thee,

But thou slew’st Tybalt; there are thou happy too:

The law that threaten’d death becomes thy friend

And turns it to exile; there art thou happy:

A pack of blessings lights up upon thy back;

This is a great “count your beavers speech” but people never listen do they? Romeo sure didn’t.

This time, the coalition went big. To keep beavers from reaching an underwater outlet drain that controls the lake’s level, coalition volunteers hauled 20 tons of traprock out to the drain, which Michael Callahan of Beaver Solutions had already caged in with chain-link fencing.

No easy task, to be sure. The rocks rode out to the spot aboard specially devised rafts. Volunteers standing up to their chests in the lake painstakingly moved rocks down around the base of the fencing, hoping to create a lasting barrier to beavers that had been tunneling under the fencing to reach and clog the drain.

Plan C, a few years back, involved placing rebar around gaps in the underwater fencing. Beavers kept fighting back, though, and Callahan cooked up the idea of hauling in 40,000 pounds of rock. He is cautiously optimistic. Only time will tell.

Callahan might want to start working on Plan E.

Ya ya ya. Beavers build dams. It’s a thing.

You’d miss them if they we’re gone. Trust me.

Transformative

heidi08 Beavers and trout, Beavers and water, Who's blaming beavers now?, Who's saving beavers now? September 15, 2015

One of the nice things about my unofficial unpaid beaver publicist job is that things drop sometimes into my mailbox that I wasn’t expecting. Like yesterday when a preview copy of Sarah Koenisberg’s documentary short on beaver reintroduction in three states arrived. It was sent with a note from a student of Mary Obrien who said Mary wanted me to have it because of all the “Transformative work” I do and to let them know if we wanted more copies.

Transformative? Me? You mean like a beaver?

It was gripping and informative, under 15 minutes long, starting with a segment on Mary and beaver reintroduction in Escalante, then a conversation with Michael Pollock about beaver reintroduction in Bridge Creek Oregon, and then Kent Woodruff and the Methow in Washington. There were lots of other voices I didn’t know before, basically saying the similar wonderful things. These animals can be our allies. Let them do their jobs and work as partners in the important job of saving water and restoring streams.

I wish I could share it but they won’t be releasing the online version for another 2 weeks. I promise to put it up just as soon as I can. For now I’ll just tell you the Very Best Part:

I watched the credits all the way to the end of course and guess who paid for it? The Grand Canyon Land Trust (of course) AND Trout Unlimited.

Now will someone please tell Georgia?

TALKING TROUT: Beavers – the good and bad

Sometimes beaver dams can be detrimental to fish habitat. Low elevation trout streams such as all the trout streams in Floyd County warm quickly in summer. When the water temperature gets too warm in a trout stream the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will discontinue stocking trout until the water cools, which is usually late in the fall. The DNR rarely stocks streams in the fall or winter so it is usually the following spring before the creek will get a fresh batch of trout for the anglers to catch.

One such creek that has a beaver dam that warms the trout stream is Johns Creek. The Coosa Valley Chapter has spent thousnds of man hours making improvements at Johns Creek. We have improved camping areas, protected stream banks and in addition to installing trout stocking tubes we have worked regularly to improve trout habitat in the stream. Just this weekend we worked with the U.S. Forest Service placing “large woody debris” in the stream to improve trout shelter and increase the macro-invertebrate (insect food that trout eat) habitat. We also did temperature monitoring at several locations at the stream. This temperature monitoring has been on-going for several years now and will continue for several more.

A major portion of Johns Creek originates from a series of springs at the Pocket Campground. There are several beaver ponds downstream of the campground. I have checked the temperature above and below the beaver ponds twice this year and the water upstream from the ponds the temperature has been 58 degrees both times. In August the afternoon air temperature was 85 degrees and the water below the dams was 69. Just yesterday, a cool day, the water below the beaver dams was 68.

Any temperature above 70 or so becomes closer to the critical level of trout tolerance. We need to keep a record of stream temperature levels if we want to keep a healthy population in the creek.

Fiery Truths

heidi08 Beaver News, Beavers, Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout, Who's saving beavers now? September 14, 2015

Last night we solemnly peered at the footbridge and un-tended dam and saw nothing. Even the cottonwood shoots at the base of the big trees had remained un-nibbled. We were depressed by the beaver-absence and headed glumly up to Ward street for a similar disappointment. Staring at the still creek and wishing vainly for ripples on the water something dark on the bank caught my eye in the dim light. New stump? Some transient’s backpack? Then the dark stump stood up and reached for a higher branch.

One of our two year olds!

Two Year-old Beaver - Photo: Cheryl Reynolds — Two Year-old Beaver – Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

Not sure what he was doing 10 feet outta the water by an old stump but I thought later about the scene from that documentary where the beaver was scent marking. Remember the beaver scooting up the bank to mark a grassy patch? It kinda looked like that. I thought how marking would make sense of he wants to find out who’s around or call another beaver for support. I didn’t see a scent mound mind you, just a beaver.

Which I was very happy about.

He toddled down the bank and slipped gracefully back into the water swimming about like a pro. We beamed made it home before dark. The orange glow from the Valley fire made everything suspenseful and unreal. I heard from Safari West that they are standing by just in case the fire takes a turn in their direction. It can’t go there! I thought about all their animals, some in pens and some ranging herds slipped in between overlapping canyons. I thought of those acres of beautiful oaks covering the hillside. I thought of the impossiblity of getting everything to safety.

Safari overnight 179 — Heidi & Marie Martinez: Director of Carnivores Safari West

No. It could not be allowed to happen. I was originally dismayed that the Valley fire was getting so much more press than the Butte fire even though it started later and was so much smaller.But it took 1000 homes yesterday, burning folks out in the middle of the night with unexpected speed. It did terrible things to so many, and I’m at least grateful it’s terrifying reach got the attention of everyone. Because it means that they will have a chance of shutting it down.

And preventing our very good friends at Safari West from ever needing protection.

Speaking of friends, I spent the weekend working on my article about beavers for the Sierra Foothill Audubon. I wasn’t entirely kind to Placer. It is still being read over for possible inclusion, but the vice president Willie Hall liked it and wants it in the next newsletter. He is a good friend of beavers. It turns out he’s watching a beaver pond a ways up from his house in Grass Valley, and enjoying the wildlife it brings. He was especially lucky to see this rare half hour. This particular visitor had obviously done his homework and read about the fish populations in beaver ponds.

Shhh, don’t tell the city council.

The grass is always greener…

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Educational, Environmental, kits, Who's saving beavers now? September 13, 2015

wrestling Rusty — Napa kits wrestle in Tulocay Beaver pond: Rusty Cohn

I know what you’re thinking. Napatopia gets all the breaks. Cute kits growing up and wrestling for photographs. A beautiful photographic lodge anchored to a tree so it won’t wash away. Support from RCD, Flood control AND the county supervisors. A well-attended beaver talk at a local bookstore with ample community support. Yes Napa has it easy in lots of ways.

But here’s one thing Martinez won’t envy.

turtlecrop — Freshwater leeches hitch a ride: Hank Miller

These are freshwater leeches in Tulocay creek riding on the back of a pond turtle. Leeches feel the vibration of whatever swims by and float up to catch a meal or a lift. And the hot weather has sent an explosion of them into the streams and lakes of California.

So I guess it’s okay having a little salt water once in a while. Because EWWW.

Personal update. The monster fire burned some firefighters and 86 people’s homes yesterday, but not my parents’. It is has now burned 65,215 acres and is a whopping 20% contained. Still wishing for rain.

Moving the problem in Wyoming

heidi08 Beaver Rehabilitation, Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, Dispersal, Who's blaming beavers now?, Who's Killing Beavers Now?, Who's saving beavers now? September 12, 2015

Sherry Guzzi of the Sierra Wildlife Coalition sent this yesterday. Her sister lives in Jackson Hole where the documentary will be having its American debut.

Nature club to screen movie about beavers

55e612e68b74c.image — Drew Reed of the Wyoming Wetland Society releases one of two beavers into a wetland in the Gros Ventre in 2009. The film “Beavers Behaving Badly” documents Reed’s catch-and-release work. It will be screened tonight by the Jackson Hole Bird and Nature Club.

On Tuesday the club will present wildlife filmmaker Jeff Hogan’s one-hour documentary “Beavers Behaving Badly,” a BBC production. The screening is in conjunction with the club’s regular monthly meeting, 6 to 8 p.m. at Teton County Library.

The film explores the importance of beavers in the area’s ecosystem. Valley biologist Drew Reed is documented over the course of a year relocating beavers from private land where they were a nuisance to public land where they can create wetland habitat that is vital to wildlife and people.

“The film shows an ecological project come full circle,” said Bernie McHugh, a dedicated birdwatcher and secretary for the club. “Once the beavers are relocated to public lands all throughout Teton County they can help restore wetland, notably for trumpeter swans.”

Ah another feel-good solution! Move the problem out of our creeks and streams and throw them into the mountains! Maybe they’ll survive and do some good and maybe they’ll die or get eaten by a coyote but either way it’s a win-win for us. Because nothing is going to be nibbling our hedgerows.

Drew seems like a nice enough fellow, and his intentions seem of the right kind. But I’m a little worried that a grown man whose job it is to solve beaver problems that doesn’t spend any time building flow devices or protecting culverts. He also shockingly says that he’s never seen a beaver chew through “netting” before (???) or eat grass (!!!). So I’m going to assume his beaver information has room to grow. Here, I’ll help get him started. This is a yearling chewing grass.

If you can’t make it out to Jackson Hole for the premiere, you can watch the whole thing online here. The title alone set my teeth on edge for most of it, but there’s some lovely video and footage of a beaver making a scent mound which is worth the price of admission by itself. Another attempt to copy Jari Osborne’s hard work, I’ll warrant. Drew is no Sherri Tippie, that’s for sure.

BBC.Natural.World.2014.Beavers.Behaving.Badly… by i-teach-U

Let me know what you think. My strongest impression is that Jackson hole is an insanely beautiful place with a lot of beaver sissies for residents. But that’s just me.

I worked longer than I should on this yesterday but was very happy with the result. I really thought Enos Mills’ great writing needed to be revisited, so I selected a few choice lines from my favorite chapter, along with a handful of select photos. I gave up on the idea of having a better voice read this because the timing needed was a little weird anyway and I’m not smart enough to change it. I really hope you watch this. Or at least read the chapter.

A final selfish note urging us all to wish for rain, or at least cooler temperatures to help calm the fray. The Butte fire is burning the hell out of Heidi’s favorite place, and grew so rapidly yesterday the firefighters actually lost ground. The land my parents brought when I was 7 and built a home to retire on for the last 25 years isn’t out of the woods yet. As a child I built and maintained a coral there to keep in my imaginary horses, and it is the place that Jon and I escaped to the snowy night we were married, lo these many years ago. The fire is mostly expanding away from our property but there is one wicked lick at the back that is marching up the canyon towards the wild place I know best in the world, so keep your fingers crossed.