pictures – Page 10 – Worth A Dam

Cuteness Competition

heidi08 New Species, pictures August 20, 2009

The beavers have been number one in dam-side cuteness for so long it must come as a shock to them that other creatures are giving them a run for their money. Remember when they were the only show in town, and a trip to the dam was entirely focused on them?

Victims of their own success, the beavers built the lovely habitat and now everyone wants a piece of it. First the squaking green heron with the telltale band, then the adorable procession of baby muskrats, followed by those hollywood mink super-starlets with their sunglasses and trailing furs… and now this! The pesky bandit family of 6,7,8 (?) are seen here showing off the very skill beavers lack (climbing) in the very place that beavers most value (willow trees)!

Faced with such an uneven playing field, the beavers have decided to fight fire with fire. Drawing from the teenage-girl-getting-attention playbook they settled in to demonstrate rarely seen behaviors in prominent trademark places to keep audience interest. You think I exaggerate? See for yourself.

Photos: Cheryl Reynolds

This beaver is sitting on the primary dam, grooming himself with his foot in the air like a ballerina from a Degas painting. Quick get the camera!

“They only eat the apple peelings”

heidi08 pictures, Recent Sightings July 25, 2009

The folks who live in backward town
Are inside out and upside down
They wear their hats inside their heads
And go to sleep beneath their beds
They only eat the apple peelings
And they take their walk across the ceilings

Mary Ann Hoberman 1959

Our intrepid wildlife photographer Cheryl Reynolds was on hand last night when beaver friend (and fish defender!) ML showed up after having spent the day making apple pies. She wisely saved the peelings for our furry friends, and they enjoyed a truly unique meal of “apple pasta”.

Little Beavers with Big Plans

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, pictures July 8, 2009

Look at those outstretched fingers! Our yearlings have grown much more persistent lately. Cheryl Reynolds took this photograph last week of one standing tippy toe on the dam to get a low hanging willow branch. This morning two were wrestling by the flow device until Dad came and gave a tail slap to get them to pay attention. I assume he’s watching out for our incognito kits, but would sure like to see them.

An unknown county worker walked by on her way to work. “Are they out this morning?” She asked amiably, and when I nodded replied, “They’re alot of fun to watch!”

I couldn’t agree more.

Happy Father’s Day!

heidi08 pictures June 21, 2009

Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

Healing

heidi08 Beaver News, Friends of Martinez Beavers, pictures June 18, 2009

June 2009 Cheryl Reynolds

Remember Mom’s tail notch? How’s this for a reminder that even though things seem really bad right now they sometimes get better? Looks like mom’s tail is almost completely regrown.

June 2006 Robert Rust

I’m glad for her, but it was one of the things I selfishly appreciated most. It’s so comforting to recognize her in a beaver “crowd”, although right now her eye is so swollen you hardly need to see the tail.

Powered by DM PhotoAlbums&#153

Full Screen

As I told Cheryl, lets hope some of those white blood cells migrate to her eye and kick the crap outta that condition, whatever it is.

Contact from LB last night that water was pouring into the upper side of the dam from under the platform where we stand. She wondered if there was a pipe broken or something. Jon & I went to check this morning and saw no gushing water, but noted that the two sides of the primary day were looking more equal. Some back story. For the past months we’ve been noticing then when you are at the dam, sometimes you see a muskrat dive at the downside of the dam, and then suddenly appear at the upside of the dam, coming out of the little cove where the beavers feed under the standing area. As we’ve watched the level slipping on the main pond, we figured it was going through this “muskrat tunnel” and pouring down to the second pond. Well it looks like with the help of the tides 2 finally surpassed 1 and the water was flowing UP into the first pond last night.

I’m not complaining. They need more water and they must know what they’re doing leaving that muskrat tunnel unfilled…