Recent Sightings – Page 12

Castor Gladiator

heidi08 Beaver News, Recent Sightings April 15, 2009

This morning Linda and I caught a grand display of beaver prowess when two kits took on a massive wrestling match in the water by the dam. Mom was on the other side making sure there was plenty of mud on the downstream, and for a while juniors 1 & 2 were hard at work laying mud upstream.

After some fairly adept poking of sticks through the dam, the children decided life was too short not to fool around a bit. They embarked on some fairly epic struggles trying to dunk each other or just make the other one give up. This produced a water tango worthy of the Spanish channel, and was lovely to see.

Mom was in full display, and I wanted an inspiring picture of her being very pregnant. I was only able to achieve one of her being very blurry. Here’s Cheryl Reynolds picture from last year to remind you what a pregnant beaver looks like and if that isn’t clear enough, come down some morning and see for yourself.

You’re never too old…

heidi08 City Reports, Recent Sightings April 5, 2009

To ride on mom’s back in the beaver world, apparently. Last night a kit saw her approach and swam to hitch a lift. It was very sweet to see Mom and Junior together, sharing treats. All three kits made an appearance and only Dad was too sneaky to show his face. Some appreciative diners came down for the beaver show and were rewarded with a full stand in the water and a nice glimpse of orange teeth.

Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

Haven’t seen mom go for any fennel yet, but its about ten days before observed it last year. Mom is looking very round indeed, and we are fairly certain she’s pregant. Check out the video in the sidebar and pause a moment to remember that we are heading for the anniversary of the presentation of the beaver subcommittee report. You remember, the meeting where the council refused to vote and Mary Tappel said the beavers were leaving?

Beavers in the Dark

heidi08 Beaver News, Recent Sightings March 29, 2009

When the lights went out last night, we trekked down to the dam for some some truly fine beaver watching. It started with the unmistakable appearance of mom, who came and sat near us to give the necessary view of her tail. Then all three kits and later the lumbering figure of dad, coming down the creek with a huge branch and pulling it out onto the dam so we could verify that he was indeed an adult, with an unblemished tail.

It was very cheering.

Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

Another couple saw the light and came down to join us. We didn’t recognize them but they had been to both beaver meetings and knew the story. The man recalled that they had used to see a beaver colony regularly in Plumas County, to which I remarked this was where these beavers were supposed to be relocated. Turns out the woman had been the one to mention our potentially homeless beavers to Beverly Ogle of the Mountain Maidu tribe of Greenville Rancheria. Trappers and US Forestry took all their beavers, and they would have been grateful for ours.

Well, I’m grateful for ours too, but its nice to know how that link got established. I had always wondered how plumas county knew about them, and thought maybe city staff shopped around, but what are the odds of them handling anything so delicately? I just scanned through the Novemeber 7th video to find them, but could not. What I did see that I never did before is that Don Bernier, the documentary guy who got interested in our beavers, was there that night adjusting the microphone. I knew he he’d attended, but didn’t know he was recording it. Good. Honestly that meeting was so inspiring, it really needs to be on the big screen someday.

Four more interested watchers were drawn by the light and came to appreciate beavers in grand display. One man thought they had left becuase “he hadn’t heard anything about them on the news in a while”. (!) They all had things to say about the unattractive and unnecessary sheetpile, and were all very enthusiatic about the animals they were watching. With a crowd of beaver supporters, and some active healthy beavers, it was a very familiar and warm scene.

We came home in beaver-high spirits.

Holes

heidi08 Recent Sightings March 16, 2009

Twice I visited the primary dam this weekend and both times there was a rush of water from what appeared to be a grapefruit sized hole under the location of the gap.The beavers seemed attentive to the hole but unsure of the best way to plug it up. They checked up and down stream, but the rush of water was too strong for mud and two wide for a stick. I saw mom, dad and kits finally just swim away in uncertain response. Maybe they knew the secondary dam was a bigger priority. Maybe they had another problem on their minds that I wasn’t even aware of.

I just wanted to hand them a plug and say, “here try this”

I suppose its not only beavers that sometimes face holes that drain away resources faster than they can be refilled. (Insert economy remark here.)

Beaver-licious

heidi08 Recent Sightings March 15, 2009

Yesterday was an epic beaver day. Cheryl started out the morning with a photo shoot and observation. Everyone was hard at work on the secondary dam, and she caught each one going back over the primary. Editors Note: Everyone meaning five, it looks like the yearlings have dispersed. God speed little fellas!

She then noticed Dad slink into the old lodge, where he seemed to be hanging out. It is usual for Dad to sleep separately while mom is coming along with her pregnancy, and that appears to be what he’s doing. How do you like your sheetpile panelling, Dad?

She caught some nice photos of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard who have been hanging around the dam and sleeping on the hay.

Later driving in Benicia she found an otter who had been hit by a car.Very sad picture, but a good look at their different body shape.

Thanks Cheryl for the photos! I tried to do a snazzy album but dm got sullen and had a tantrum in our frames, so these photos will have to do. All Photography by VP Wildlife Cheryl Reynolds.

I visited later that night (sans camera) and saw mom and her trio, raccoon, rat and muskrat. They are still taking straw for the lodge, and they need more. Anybody with a horse that can spare an armload or two? Bring it on down. Our beavers need a cozy place to sleep.