Snug as a bug in a rug

the dam and ice-covered pond. 4 Jan 2014.

I had a chance to check the camera and the dam last Saturday. There was snow on the ground, and I was
looking forward to seeing lots of track. I thought I might learn a thing or two about animal activity around the beaver pond.

I did learn a thing or two--just not what I expected.

What surprised me was that there was very little track of any sort in the area, and absolutely no beaver tracks.



I assume that means the beavers are doing what beavers do. That is, staying under the ice where they are safe from predators. They've already stashed a lot of food under the water, in the form of sticks. The entrance to their den is under water so, again, no predators can get at them when ice forms on top of the pond.

This drawing gives shows you how it works, and saves me a thousand words to boot. Can you imagine how our beaver family is happily and safely whiling away the winter under the protection of the ice. They've got a house, food, shelter--everything but high def TV.  And no predators can get at them.

While scouting around, I saw a Great Blue Heron. Probably, it's the same one the camera picked up in this video on the 30th of December.

This is not the only Heron that has benefited from a beaver pond. See this link for another story of the symbiosis of beaver ponds and birds. http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/busy-beavers-save-blue-heron-nesting-ground.html





More later.