Last night at the dam site we met a sweet and friendly couple who came whispering down with their flashlight asking if it would be okay if they joined us. They explained that they lived in Orange County, but had to drive up for a class in San Jose that afternoon. They had thought about staying the night in Monterey as a reward but decided to come to Martinez instead. Why, you ask?
To see the beavers!
Apparently they had become interested by an article about the beavers, and then checked out the website and wrote me to ask about a visit. I wrote back as I usually do that someone from Worth A Dam would be happy to meet them and show them around, and they decided to brave the adventure and come check it out on their own. They were staying in Walnut Creek because sadly, Martinez accommodations leave a little to be desired, but they had dinner in town and were planning to come back for breakfast.
They were rewarded with several lovely beaver sightings as the yearlings swam up and even walked onto the dam to give them the best view. He brought down his massive photography lens and snapped pictures gratefully. She talked about her early days working for fish and wildlife when they accidentally caught a beaver in a fish trap. The animal had spent an uncomfortable night in the tank, but was extremely docile at his release and just paddled back into the water. She volunteers now for a raptor rescue program in Orange County and says the avian predators are much less forgiving.
The couple had rented the IMAX beaver movie in preparation for their visit. Honestly, she said, this distance is nothing for people who are really interested in wildlife. Of course we came!
What a delightful evening! You never know what you’ll find on beaver creek….
