Last weekend we had more than eight inches of rain fall on Maine due to a nor'easter on Friday and Saturday and then the effects of Hurricane Kyle on Sunday and Monday. I was worried about the beavers and when the storm let up, my mom checked on them. The fledgling building project that I had discovered the week before was completely washed away but the hard-working, resilient little rodents had moved their operation farther downstream to the southeast corner of my parents' property.
Yesterday, Charlie and I were over hel
ping Dad clear up some trees. After the wood was put into our vehicle and Charlie headed home to stack it, Dad and I headed down to the river to check out the beavers. From the top of the hill where their woods road ends, we could see the dam and the evidence of clear cutting and dragging. Beavers build dams to make the water near their lodge deep enough that the water will stay open under the ice. I could see their lodge farther upstream but could not get a good picture of it without getting wet.
Farther downstream, in a boggy area there is another dam under construction. This all bears more exploration.
Beaver fun fact: Their teeth protrude through a hole in their lips so that their lips can close behind their teeth keeping tree debris from getting into their mouth when chopping and allowing them to swim with a tree clutched in their teeth.
11 comments:
I am so envious of your walks in the woods. When we took grandson to Sea World in San Antonio, he was amazed by all the tall trees. Poor little thing thought Mesquite and Huisache were as tall as trees got. Pappy
Hi Beth...tku for dropping by my blog......you live in a beautiful place...stunning....
Here, in England, we have just released some beavers into the wild.....they would have lived here hundreds of years ago.....two are free in a hundred acre nature reserve....I hope they do well.....
Loved reading about yours.....
We could all learn something from the determination and resiliency of God's creatures. Thanks for the update.
Boy, they are resilient little things, aren't they? :c) So glad they stayed around and rebuilt.
Texican, well you need to bring those little ones up to meet the misplaced Mississippi branch of cousins.
Cheryl, thank you--I'm glad England is re-introducing beavers. They are such interesting little creatures.
Carey, indeed we can learn from nature.
Jayne, me too! I would have been heartbroken if I couldn't check on them any more.
I never thought about the beavers losing their home in all that rain. It sounds as though they have done a remarkable job of starting to rebuild. Glad you were able to find them and will still get to see theur progress.
Amazing creatures.
I have sat here at the keyboard, fingers posed above it, ready to add something really incisive and no words come.
Amazing creatures--yeah, and I wish I lived where I could see some. Sigh.
Beckie, I was glad they didn't pack up and move where I couldn't find them. Now, we can all share them!
KGMom, teeheeheee, very incisive indeed.
Rain like you had will keep the beavers busy building and repairing. They are a fine example of resilience in adversity!
Beth, How nice to read the update on the beavers! They do nice work as long as they aren't flooding your front or back yard. I think this is so exciting. I had no idea that beaver teeth potruded through their lips! Oh, the wonders of nature! Looks like many of your trees have already lost their leaves! I miss Maine right about now.
I'm fascinated with beavers and their construction skills. How fortunate that you have some so close by to watch. I'll look forward to more stories about those giants rodents...
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