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

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“You want me to be a guest blogger? I can’t do that.”

“Well, you do write the “Recent Sightings” page on the site.”

“Yes, but that is not like writing on the main page of the website where everyone is anxiously waiting to hear from you.”

“It sure would help me out while I am up at the Beaver Conference in Oregon.”

This was the conversation I had with Heidi before she left for the conference and I finally told myself, I guess I could give it a try.

Right now I am on my computer trying to come up with something to write about. Looking out of my bedroom window and up on the hill I see four deer. It is in the middle of the day, but they are out eating the new grass that is springing up all over the surrounding hills. I happen to live in the old downtown section of Martinez just off of Main Street. I have lived here around 70 years and of those 70, I have been in the same house for 60 years.

I don’t remember seeing deer around the neighborhood when I was growing up. I do remember that once, one came down into my neighbor’s backyard and the whole neighborhood came out to see and give their advice as to how to get the deer out. Someone finally put a rope around the deer’s neck and led it back up onto the hill and let it loose. Now on any given day, I can look out and I might see two or three deer starting to walk right down the street to my neighbors’ yards. The other day, I was driving up Green Street following two deer who just happened to be strolling along on their afternoon walk.

                                        

Also on our hill, we have a large flock of wild turkeys. They showed up about two years ago and they are something to see. I didn’t realize that they could get so large. They love to dig up the hill when they are looking for whatever to eat. They are slow moving birds and once I had to stop my car while thirteen of them crossed in front of me single file. They can be a nuisance I hear, but they don’t bother us.

                                                                                                                                                    

Another thing I have noticed in the neighborhood is that we have a family of Cooper hawks that live up in the big pine trees on the hill. They have quite a distinctive cry, and they will circle around checking the backyards as many of my neighbors, including myself, feed the wild birds. Whenever I hear that cry, I notice that most of the birds are gone so I guess they are hiding in the many trees around the area. One Cooper hawk spent several hours in my neighbor’s fruit tree and we were able to get a great picture of it.

                                                                            

                                                

Once while going out on our deck, that over looks the river and the downtown, to check out the birdfeeders, I spotted two large turkey vultures sunning themselves on my neighbor’s roof . What a sight! That was the nearest I have ever been to them, and to me, they really aren’t very pretty birds. I thought that maybe they were waiting for some action.

 

                        


When I was growing up and walking to Martinez Elementary School and Martinez Junior High, I always walked by Alhambra Creek but I really didn’t take the time to check it out. The only time I thought about the creek is when it would flood. Yes, it flooded way before the beavers every came to town. Really! I remember seeing row boats on Main Street and floating toy boats in the gutters. I started noticing the creek when I first heard there was a beaver dam downtown. I checked it out and have been a regular at the creek ever since. Since the beavers have been here, the creek has turned into a wonderland of many birds and other animals. It has made me realize that I am very lucky to live in a town where there is nature, wildlife and beautiful views all around me and I don’t even have to go more than three blocks to experience these wonders.

Good luck today, Heidi, on your presentation and can’t wait to hear from you when you get back from the conference. You have opened so many doors for us to experience our wonderful world. Thank you.


 

 


 

 Photos by Ron Bruno






Wish me luck today, I’m exhausted and sleep deprived. Lots of talk yesterday about THEORETICAL beavers and nitrogen levels.



Can Urban Beavers be Worth A Dam?




So I picked up my luggage in Eugene last night and as luck would have it got settled  at the VERY moment Mike Callahan drove down from Portland (via Massachusetts) to pick me up. We had a beautiful drive through rural Oregon to Canyonville and the sun seemed strangley reluctant to set. There was, of course, lots of flat-tailed things to talk about, and some bipedal ones as well. We made it safely to the hotel, checked in and went for a late dinner.

As we were leaving Leonard and Lois swooped in and surprised us with greetings and hugs. They wanted to show us the conference room and get us acquainted. Apparently it was so impressive it startled the keynote speaker. There was a raised long table at the front, rows and rows of chairs and tables, and two huge screens on either side of the panel.

Martinez Beavers in Dolby!

They ran through the cast of characters, who had arrived, who was having trouble escaping the snowy conditions, and who was in transit. Sherri Tippie was here but I haven’t met her yet.


Sherri Tippie inscribes a colony of 5 clay beavers for Worth A Dam

Lucky for me, that was about to change.



So we got an anxious phone call in the wee hours last night saying that a downtown observer had seen a dead animal in the annex area of the beaver pond and was worried that it might be one of our beavers. Jon was a good soul and stopped by after night shift this morning to check, discovering a rather bloated cat who had drowned several days ago. It started raining hard and he dashed home for his short sleep before coming back tonight to pick up the dead cat.

Mind you today Cheryl got a wildlife call to help manage beavers at a winery in Sonoma and I’m off to the conference Tuesday. Lory is planning her exciting (and unwilling) blogging debut for Thursday. And Jon would like very much to know why HE gets to be the one to pick up dead, wet cats.

It made me think of Ole Sneelock…

A beaver swam by when he was removing the feline. I assume the kit wanted to thank him. Which we all should do. THANKS JON!


(Make that four hours).

Back in December Worth A Dam hosted a fieldtrip for 60 Las Juntas third graders. Jon and Lory took them on a tour of the dam. I gave a lecture on beavers. And Fro taught them the beaver chant and helped them draw chalk beavers on the sidewalk. They were bright, enthusiastic, and very excited about beavers. We all felt very happy that day.

Then we all went home and took naps.

Yesterday I received this delightful collection of thank yous. Look closely at the dark beaver bodies because some smart teacher came up with the idea of using finger prints! There were 30 of these.

And thirty of these…

Here’s a sample:

I’ve been called a lot of names since I started fussing about our beavers. “Martinez Beaver Protector” is by FAR the nicest. Look closely at the tail in the drawing by Gianna. It’s mom.

DONATE

TREE PROTECTION

BAY AREA PODCAST

Our story told around the county

Beaver Interactive: Click to view

LASSIE INVENTS BDA

URBAN BEAVERS

LASSIE AND BEAVERS

Ten Years

The Beaver Cheat Sheet

Restoration

RANGER RICK

Ranger rick

The meeting that started it all

Past Reports

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