Last night we were treated to the delivery of Mitchell Maisel’s report to city council explaining his intention to plant trees near the secondary dam to improve the watershed, protect wildlife, and augment habitat. Beaver supporters were in attendance as were his very glowing parents. Mitchell has already had two meetings with the city engineer and two with city staff, and has full permission for the planting. The biologist who is working with us to help the city engineer explain the value of this, Felix Ratcliff, came to the last one and was able to answer questions and clarify ecosystem issues. Some of our regulars weren’t able to attend last night, but it was a great, supportive community. (And what snappy dressers!)
This morning’s beaver show saw dad and a kit, with dad doing a fairly spectacular branch cutting near the primary dam. The big surprise though was the Western Grebe who was heartily enjoying a mornings mouthful at the secondary dam. The have a slender bill which they use like a spear to catch fish, and his was in top service. Western Grebes have the remarkable habit of forming floating nests anchored to plant material in the water and lay their eggs on a rafted bed on the surface. Tens of thousands were hunted not so long ago for their feathers, but there numbers have recovered and they do well where there is a stable water supply. (Like, oh say, a beaver dam).
Other exciting water developments include an aquatic version of the Caldecott tunnel leading from the first willow after the marina vista bridge to the water in the first scrape. Linda saw a muskrat commuting between water bodies yesterday, and then a beaver! I went down to photograph the engress, but our real photographer needs to catch a picture of a beaver coming out because that would make me very happy.
