Cheryl Reynolds – Page 5

Now that’s a face!

heidi08 New Species, Recent Sightings February 12, 2010

Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

This is a river otter. Don’t get it confused with a sea otter. (I was talking about beavers at an event and a woman said, “ohhh i love beavers! I love when they lay on their backs and crack shells on their tummy.” Sigh)…..This amazing photo was taken yesterday by our own esteemed Cheryl Reynolds at the primary dam. Shhh don’t tell the beavers but it is very nearly my favorite she has taken so far. Looking at that face it is impossible to confuse this animal with a beaver. The whiskers, the wide nose, the stubby head, and the entire lack of chin, mark it distinctly. Well that and the fact that this little powerhouse sat atop the flow device eating fish all morning.

He was using the flow device as a water slide yesterday, going up and down the tube, which is pretty darn sweet, and worthy of a documentary on animal adaptions. Think about it, if an otter can go through a pipe, so can a salmon. Jon says otters go through lots of pipes at the powerplant cooling station, and even play with the “echo” while they’re inside, chirping and barking to eachother to hear it sound differently.

Several beaver fans turned out to watch otter delights yesterday. For the record, they couldn’t be more different from beavers. Otters seem to me to be little furry hedonists. They live entirely for pleasure. Whatever they do they relish with abandon, and whatever they dislike they don’t do. Otters play and love and quarrel passionately, they chew loudly like a two year old eating a favorite meal, they show up at strange hours and keep their own council. Bob Arnebeck says it isn’t even reasonable to ask questions like “how many fish do otters eat a day”, because their “day” is shifting and different than ours – 26 hours one day and 22 the next.. They eat when they feel like it, and move on from an area suddenly without saying goodbye — which our little fellow will do any day now, so go see him before its too late.

Also, check out the amazing and evolving entry on Flow Devices by our wonderful wikipedia friend. This is gonna save a LOT of beavers!

The Clara Barton of Pelicans

heidi08 In the News, New Species January 25, 2010

Our VP Cheryl has been hard at (lovingly unpaid) work at IBRRC this weekend taking care of a peck of pelicans who have been adversely affected by all the runoff pollution in their water. It is hard, unforgiving work. These birds are nearly as tall as she is, and their beak can function as prodigious bayonet. Still the white pelican is one of Cheryl’s favorite birds in all the world, so she was happy to send this photo of a recovering patient:

Photo: Cheryl Reynolds

A marvelous bird is the pelican

His beak can hold more than his belly can.

He can store in his beak

Enough food for a week

But don’t ask me just how the hell ‘e can.

Dixon Lanire Merrith (1910)

What lives in that trashy old creek, anyway?

heidi08 Beaver News, New Species, Recent Sightings January 11, 2010

Photo: Green Heron at Primary Dam 1-10-10 Cheryl Reynolds

Just in case you wondered what that crabby green heron is doing when he seems to be standing so still and looking for lost change in the water: here’s a hint. Look at the size of that fish. Not a meager challenge for a bird that can’t chew. This picture was take too early in the morning for great light, but its a fantastic glimpse of his culinary treasure. Anyone recognize the victim? Fish ID help?

We saw two yearlings this morning, and had a lovely close encounter with mom as she rooted around in the dam sticks for a treasure she just knew was there. Her eyes look the same, maybe a little better, but she is active and groomed and went home to sleep in the lodge.

If the fates are kind to us this year she is already pregnant. It was early January two years ago when Moses showed me footage of the parents nearly mating. That’s how we first knew mom had the different tail mark. (You could tell who was who by what they were um…doing). Now we just hope they um…do it again and give us kits for 2010.

Fingers crossed.

Precarious

heidi08 New Species, Recent Sightings December 28, 2009

Who doesn’t overeat on the holidays? The beavers have apparently had a busy Christmas weekend. I think of them waking up and seeing all the gnawed trees (six by cheryl’s account). Maybe it’s a little like getting up after a party and seeing how many empty bottles are assembled in the kitchen. (Ohhhh. Maybe we shoulda stopped sooner. No wonder my head’s killing me!) Still, the beavers probably have some leftover genes that tell them to “eat up and make food to store” for winter, even though Martinez doesn’t freeze. They clearly let that archaic message direct some chewing behavior.

Like all late night parties goers, the beavers have had some incredible guests lately. Check out these photos from Cheryl this weekend.

Snowy Egret at landing on secondary dam: Cheryl Reynolds

Great Egret Fishing on Secondary Dam: Cheryl Reynolds

This is a nice opportunity to see the snowy egrets fancy feet. See that bright colored landing gear in the first photo? The snowy egret comes equipped with some flashy footwear that he wriggles under the water to attract the fish. When some curious fellows come underwater to investigate, the snowy egret snaps up his dinner! Now that’s some good designing.

Oh and by the way, this is the first year we’ve photographed Great Egrets at the beaver dam. Mark it as another species drawn to the habitat.

Tis the Season…

heidi08 Burrowing Owls, Environmental, Friends of Martinez Beavers December 24, 2009

Okay. It’s the real Eve. I have cookies to cut and beavers to decorate. I will leave you with this bit of cheer which never ever fails to make me smile. Especially the words “mostly” and “you know what?”

Meanwhile, supporter GP wrote Martin Salter, the anti-beaver MP in england, (as did many of you, thanks!) and got back a copy of his official pro-salmon anti-beaver paperwork, which I sent along to the beaver-salmon research group of Brock Dolman. And Scott of JournOwl has been working hard to save the remaining owls with a ton of new supporters organized by SFEP Lisa Owen’s Viani. She has put him in touch with Michael Graf, the environmental attorney in El Cerrito that helped us with our sheet pile tragedy, and they may be able to get something slowed down legally. Our own VP Cheryl went and walked the area with Scott yesterday and took this photo of a remaining owl awaiting foreclosure.