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Beaver Folk - July 2008 |
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| An adult and juvenile beaver are out at Turkey Point collecting debris from run off, working on their old dam, and perhaps readying their old digs for fall. We startle them on our walkabout, and, in a span of only seconds, elder beaver raises its tail, smashes it into the water and says, "Hit the deck kid!" Of course, young beaver wisely complies, but like kids everywhere, has to pop up and have a quick second look at what strange beasts caused such a terrorized fuss. Then - a split second later, young beaver follows elder beaver to the bottom of the pond for a safe get-away. It was heartening to see the beaver folk busily at work on Turkey Point, which underwent significant alterations during this year's run-off. The section that attached the Point to the mainland eroded nearly completely through essentially severing the peninsula into an island. There is a single blue spruce planted out on the point, and hopefully, one day it will grow to help stabilize what is sure to stand for at least the next ten to twenty years as a stoic monolith in the embrace of Divide Creek. For now, for as long as the beaver live here in this sacred protected valley, my heart sings to know they are hard at work managing the riparian area of this amazing mountain.
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A fallen sapling rests across Divide Creek, just upstream of Turkey Point. While it is sad to see a fallen tree, it is a vital link in nature's food chain, and it will not have fallen in vain. The beaver folk have brought it down and will float it downstream to their hooch (right-hand upper third of the photo - but not visible). the beaver family will stash the sapling underwater where its green bark will become an important source of winter nutrition. [07-03-08] |
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This is a view from the North bank of the renewed Turkey Point dam and pond. The beaver are busy recycling the debris to shore up their ancient dam, and will probably use the bounty to spruce up their home as well. What a lovely shady place to spend an afternoon gliding about the cool waters of Divide Creek. Man, this would have made my day - but then, later, I found a bunch of wild daisies over on Langegger's place - deep in 8 foot high reeds, and well.... that was the crowning joy. What an awesome day!
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