Last night we took a visit to the beaver dams to see how things were going. The secondary dam is looking air tight and even backing up water over the primary! when we see building that experienced we always breathe a sigh of relief because we know dad’s still around and hard at work.
First we saw Jr. making the rounds at 6:30. He’s definitely bigger than he was, but still much smaller than the others. He’s actually mudding the dam now so dad’s herculean hard work must have been VERY inspiring!
A little later we saw the adult from 2010 come sniff the dam for possible treats and saunter off without doing a stitch of labor. Then things got exciting. A BIG beaver came harrowing down from the primary and climbed up on the bank by the marina vista bridge. Then zoomed at top speeds right to the door of the new bank hole, where Jr rushed up and another larger beaver appeared with something VERY surprising on her back.
In fact I was so surprised I couldn’t point my camera right away. And then we saw this:
Yes that is a TINY kit. And doesn’t he look like a peanut? This sighting is a month earlier than we have ever seen them and I’d say he was smaller than we have ever seen them. Kits have been seen June 9th and even June 6th, but never in May. Last year we first saw the new kit July 1st! But this year we have a lovely arrival in May and I couldn’t be happier. If you can’t believe your eyes, here’s a still to take it all in. Look at that tail in the air! It’s smaller a dollar bill.
It usually takes a week before we are sure of the numbers, so you can bet Worth A Dam will be out there counting and cooing. For those of you following along at home, this would be the SIXTH year I’ve been there to see new kits born in Alhambra Creek. We ended the night with a nice view of mom. Look at the red highlights on her coat! She is one lovely beaver, and Jr. thought so and wanted to swim with her when she left the dam. 
Congratulations Martinez! It’s a beaver!
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On any other day I would have focused on the VERY good news out of Montana where they just installed a flow device. But we have a baby and that obviously eclipses everything.
