Yesterday a video of this beaver was posted on the Putah Creek Wildlife Stewards page grooming in the middle of the day. Obviously all this rain had flooded them out of their den and they were adapting as best they could, Robin saw it and wrote that the beaver looked mighty fat and pregnant, and my initial reaction was that all beavers look tubby when bending over to groom, but I decided to check the date on that old pregnant beaver photo Cheryl took in 2008.
March 18. Pretty dam close.
Then Ale and I chatted about the what the beaver was doing and why mom would be more worried about water in the lodge at this time of year, especially if she was expecting kits any minute. Prompting him to ask me if I’d be interested in speaking at their conference in April – although he’d have ask the organizers. Could I tell him anything about my beaver credentials?
Hahaha.
I must say it was weird to be asked because I never, ever am. Because most of the people who have contact with me already know about the Martinez beavers or the website or the festival or the papers or whatever. I did my best to explain and get over being befuddled because I’d like to help those folks out. The details about beaver pregnancy spurred me to make this:
I was happy to learn to do a two page spread so that no white borders appear. It’s trickier than it looks! Actually, the time of year could explain what Robin say yesterday at the pond too, in Napa. Two kits feeding cheerfully and looking for all the world that mom had told them to GO PLAY and leave her alone. Looks like they’re doing an excellent job stripping that bark! Nice to see the two kits doing well after the winter storms.
Wouldn’t you know, in the middle of working I got a call from Suzi Eszterhas who I had asked a question about using urban beaver photos for the chapter. She said the rules meant she couldn’t until they were published but she enthusiastically agreed to donate another set of books for this year’s silent auction at the festival, plus the soon to be published rehab books! Hooray! Thanks so much Suzi!
