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Morning With The Beavers

bruce85@mac.com Beavers February 18, 2008

Ahhh this morning’s crisp dawn began with a visit to the dam where several beaver loyalists with alot of expensive camera equipment met up for a chat and compare. The beavers were in full view, working on the main dam and feeding on the banks. One frisky young racoon went into the lodge again while they were foraging, this time having a good sniff around before exiting through the back door. Our carnivorous ducks are back in large numbers: the scaups hopped or flew over the dam in sets of three or four, heading for the annex area. They are definately finding something to their liking under those waters.

A raucous plop and slap was heard towards the visit’s end, with a large splash at the dam where someone seemed to duck under just in time. One issue we are trying to pull together is a logo for the nonprofit interest. Ultimately it would be great to have a graphic artist work on putting one together for us, but how do people feel about this for now? Email your thoughts as always to mtzbeavers@gmail.com. Remember that the beaver subcommittee meeting resumes tuesday at 5:30. The ESA students will be there with a presentation and Igor will be freshly back from the beaver conference. It should be an interesting night. Bring a friend, or make one there.

Concert At The Lodge

bruce85@mac.com New Species, pictures February 16, 2008

This song sparrow and his friends have been making music at the lodge…

Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

New Habits

bruce85@mac.com New Species, pictures February 15, 2008

Heidi Perryman

I went down this morning for a beaver visit and was interested to see the entire family returning from the downside of the dam. They are obviously using the new area to feed and forage, especially since the upstream areas are less accessible with the shallow water. The secondary dam is looking no larger, and Moses says they have been working on the main dam only. The reedy bank near the secondary was wet and trampled with beaver activity. Looks like tonight’s dinner was tulle roots.

The flock of scaups were back, this time coming over the dam and past the lodge and into the “annex” area above the bridge. Also a great egret and a lovely songbird whose tune was impressive but whose identity remains a mystery. All the family swam up from the second dam and crossed over the main dam. The moral of the story is that if you go looking for beavers now in the mornings, you might do better to stand on the footbridge.

Good Thinking…

bruce85@mac.com Beavers, Friends of Martinez Beavers February 15, 2008

A fine idea from Paul Craig, by way of the Martinez News Gazette:

It’s time to institutionalize the Beavers. A great place to start is Martinez’ huge I-680 billboard.

As you swing off the Benicia-Martinez bridge you’ll see a 10 foot tall beaver with a couple of kits. “Martinez: Nature & People In Harmony. Eat, shop; relax.”

CLMs & Real Priorities

bruce85@mac.com Friends of Martinez Beavers, New Species April 13, 2008

Linda Meza

Yesterday afternoon after a two week hiatus I sped home, gobbled down dinner and rushed off to city hall. Once there I scratched my head baffled by the empty parking lot. My one consolation being I wasn’t the only one who had failed to look at the city’s website before heading over. But wait let me go back to an hour before when I scooted out of the office despite learning the surprising news that a birthday celebration for our CEO had been planned, oops! Well he has his own altruistic bend; I’ll address any quizzical glances when and if they should arise.

This is just the latest example of my determination to carve out time (precious little as it is) to seeing this exercise in stewardship through to what ever end lies before us. But it also has me questioning the why of it all. Why is it that I: can shrug off what could be perceived as a career limiting move in order to attend a cancelled meeting or suddenly care enough to pick up and throw away half full liters of coke carelessly discarded within a relative whisper of the watercourse now suddenly burgeoning with life?

I heard one observer at the foot bridge commenting on the chorus of frogs serenading the setting sun, “I don’t know why but I just feel happy.” Yeah that’s it, I just feel happy. For me it’s like someone unlocked that room in my heart entitled “child like wonder” and a flood of feelings, deeper than any perceived threat, came pouring out. Last night while straining to hear the sound of frogs under the train whistle I also heard something else; like a drip from an icicle when the water refuses to give up its crystalline advantage until its sheer weight rips it from the source, plop!

After careful study I realized the sound was originating from beneath the water’s surface. What the!?! A moment more and a fish head breached the surface. I’ll let the anglers of Martinez tell me what it was I saw; some whispered Steelhead I understand it’s entirely likely. What ever the fish it’s just one more thing to marvel over. I’m a fan of dark chocolate and had one of those Dove bites left on my desk. You know the ones with the corny little sayings on the inside of the wrapper? Mine said, “watch reruns they replay your memories”. I’ll continue to watch our beavers and all the rest, thank you very much and be richer for it.