Monday Morning Sighting

As I was dunking my almond toast while sipping my coffee at 7:30am I looked up and saw a fast moving glare far out on the lake's surface. With more concentration I watched this movement and finally determined that it was a very large beaver swimming smoothly along the rocks at the dam's water edge. It finally climbed up on the grassy bank and waddled over the dirt road and disappeared over the far side down into the wet meadow below. We are very aware that this trail is used many times by the resident beavers. About two early evenings ago we watched one cross the road and go down the bank into the lake in that same area.

About 15 minutes later as I was cutting my banana into sections, a second and smaller one swam along and then up and over the bank and road it went. In the past years the Mister had permission from the game warden to take care of the beaver problem here and he did - for many years. Personally, we now don't have trees on our property that are of interest to these critters, but others do. It can be a problem, but is out of our hands now. 

We wonder how many there really are that live nearby. In warm weather the far end of the lake contains water lilies, cattails and other aquatic plants that are the favorite foods of the beaver. Birch, alder, maple, willow and cherry trees all have tasty wood parts for meals as well. Beaver don't eat fish.

Monday morning lesson OVER!

Photo from internet