Creek Seekers Express – Worth A Dam

Right here in River-City

heidi08 Creek Seekers Poetry Contest May 27, 2009

2009 River of Words Youth Poetry & Art Contest
Creek Seeker Grand Prize

Misunderstood

In a sacred place, a creek is alive,
Shallow, murky, moving water.
A water-strider walks along the water.
“Look closely, follow our movements,” the green water whispers.
A misplaced turtle bobs up and down, swimming gracefully.
Its striped shell and red head floats near the surface and then disappears.
Ripples spread over and over again, like a never-ending secret.
A wilted tulip drifts by.
Water springs out creating unforgettable ripples.

And if you look closely, you can see the copper glow of pennies, the
creek hopelessly misunderstood for a fountain. Dead leaves drift upon the
water.

The turtle observes this silently.

While the only spectator in the creek is Abe Lincoln’s copper face.

Caroline María Woods-Mejía, age 12
Berkeley, California
Poetry Inside Out
Teacher: John Oliver Simon

Tickets √

Lunches √

Beaver Video √

Projector √

Screen √

Speakers √

Presents for contest winners √

Tables for lunch in no-name park √

Thank you tshirt for Armando’s √

Losing my mind√

NEWS FLASH

heidi08 Beaver News, Creek Seekers Poetry Contest, kits May 30, 2009

Confirmed sighting of FOUR new kits near the lodge. Footage here from Moses Silva.Have a cigar, Martinez. It’s a beaver!

Christening Party at the beaver dam and everyone’s invited! Worth A Dam’s core gathered at the water last night to see if it was really true. We were treated to a beaver display of grand proportions, Mom, Dad, three yearlings and two very persistent muskrats. There were even two tail slaps by Dad, although we never figured out what he was warning about.

Stalwart and intrepid videographer, Moses Silva, sought us out bearing a camera brimming with news. In the wee hours of the morning he had donned waders and strode through the water to find four new kits in a cove near the beaver dam. He filmed them with a flashlight taped to his camera. They had obviously been left outside in a protected area to get used to their surroundings. Click on the video above to see what he saw.

The group was giddy and celebratory. After all the “sheet” these beavers have been through this year, we wondered if there would even be kits, or if there would only be a few. Instead there is photographic evidence that there are four chubby and healthy little fuzzballs. In the video you can see them practicing grooming and nuzzling each other. Their teeth are very prominent, possibly because they haven’t yet started gnawing much to wear them down.

For those of you keeping track at home, this brings our current colony total to 9: two adults, three yearlings, and four new kits. Somewhere out there are two dispersers trying to set up life on their own. That makes a total of 9 healthy offspring mom and dad have brought into the world, and I got to watch. The notion that this is the third time I’ve been here makes me a little misty-eyed.

What better way to welcome wednesday’s creek-seekers train journey than with brand new babies?

Ohhh what a day!

heidi08 Beaver News, Beavers or Social Ambasadors, Creative Solutions, Creek Seekers Poetry Contest, Earth Day, Educational, Environmental April 19, 2009

Our build a beaver activity was enormously popular, and more than 100 children sat down with Fro to add something to our beaver habitat. Here’s some initial photos.

We sold 163 raffle tickets to the Creek Seeker’s Express, talked to many new and returning friends, and had made some nice contacts along the way. My guided beaver tours were snatched up at auction, and every wanted to know when we’ll have tshirts for sale. Gary Bogue stopped by to say hi and meet the folk, and State Senator DeSaulnier stayed for a much needed conversation about his missing barn owls. Thank you to all of worth a dam who stayed through the heat and crowds and helped sell tickets, spread the beaver gospel and keep everyone enthusiastic.

Hope to see you there!!!

heidi08 Creek Seekers Poetry Contest, Earth Day, Educational, Environmental, Festival April 17, 2009

ma-bday-eday-flyer

You are going to have SUCH a great time if you come to this event. Bid on the silent auction, listen to the bagpipes, talk with John Muir’s grandson, hear Gary Bogue and make a beaver home out of clay. You might also tuck some dollar bills into your wallet to enter the CREEK SEEKERS EXPRESS raffle for two first class tickets aboard the Amtrak journey narrated by the marine curator of the Oakland Museum and hosted by the San Francisco Estuary Project. (Raffle benefits Worth A Dam) If you’re a lucky winner you will be able to see new footage of our beavers at a dynamic presentation at Armando’s and meet some remarkable people.

Whether you enter or not, come to the event and learn about Muir’s legacy, meet your neighbors, and have a grand time. You don’t want to miss the first viewing of the remarkable beaver habitat diorama! See you there.

Creek Seekers Express!

heidi08 Creek Seekers Poetry Contest, Environmental, Friends of Martinez Beavers March 18, 2009

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn more about our estuary, see rare original footage of our beavers, support local habitats and make some fantastic new friends! Join us!