The beaver is still there

So, the repaired camera came back from the vendor this week. I cannot say enough about the prompt and fast service from www.trailcampro.com. They rock.

I looked around for a new place for the camera and decided to see what is to be seen in an open field. So this is the view from the current camera placement.  I've never put the camera in such an open place. Let's hope we find something. Stay tuned.








Then I decided to poke around the recently storm-destroyed dam. I was decided to see that the beaver is still in Minebank Run, just a little further upstream.

This time, our rodent friend has built two dams, perhaps 30 yards apart.

Upstream from the two dams is a pool where it has started its winter food cache.

I also saw what I believe is the start of the bank den.

And look at the way it's eating the bark off this big tree.
After taking this photograph, I noticed the same thing done to another tree. Both trees are over 2 feet in diameter. It's hard to imagine that the beaver can cut them down. Time will tell.







More later.

The dam and the camera are both broken.

the dam. Friday 11 October 2013, 11:41.

I checked the dam twice during our recent deluge.

Once on Friday morning.

You can see that the water is already over the top of the dam, and going around it on both sides. Really, I was surprised to see it still standing.

the dam. Monday 14 October 2013. 14:40.

By Monday the 14th, It was breached.

You can see that about half of the dam has been washed downstream.

I'll keep an eye on this to see if the beavers decide to move on.









Meanwhile, back on top of the hill....
I got some videos of the animals that I'll post here. I think I've proven over the last few weeks that there are fox, deer, squirrels, and raccoon up there. Not to mention a dangling leaf. So, I'm going to move the camera to somewhere else in the park--just don't know where. And not until I get it repaired.

 More later.

If there's no water in it, is it still a stream?

So, I had a chance to visit the camera yesterday.

 I thought I had it set up with a nice view through some relatively open woods. I expected to get quite a few interesting pictures.


Well....







I was wrong.

I got a nice deer, a fox, and just a few squirrels.
This may be a camera placement problem, or perhaps seasonal change in behavior. Perhaps the animals are moving downhill for some reason?

The camera is still in the same area, but oriented differently. The next visit may reveal some answers.















Meanwhile, back at the dam....

The beaver has certainly been at work.

the dam. 1 Oct 2013.

You can see that the dam is larger than it was when I last saw it. And in the photographs below, what I think is the first of its winter food cache, secreted in the new pond.

And another fascinating observation. You can see that there is water in Minebank run where the beaver dam is. About 500 yards downstream from that, where second dam was destroyed completely by flooding, there is no water in the channel.

Another 400 yards downstream there's water again. Go figure.

I've read some reports about the restoration efforts on Minebank Run and haven't found any references to springs feeding the stream. That seems a likely explanation, though. I know that there are springs in the area.


More later.

Special Edition, from the Engineering Department

Hi,

I thought this was a very well written article that you all might enjoy.

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2013/09/wildlife-architecture-building-beaver-lodge.html?utm_source=Adirondack+Explorer+%26+Adirondack+Almanack&utm_campaign=f55155da8e-Adirondack_Almanack_RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b49eb0d11b-f55155da8e-24952033

More later.

Blobsquatch! on camera!

So.... I went to visit the camera today.

The first thing I noticed is that the beaver(s) are still active, and building a new dam. it's interesting to me that so far, the dam is built with recycled lumber. None of the sticks used so far seem to be trees cut down by the beaver, but rather old lumber used for the dam.

I'll keep an eye on this.

Second thing I noticed is the Hawk Watch. 

The crew was out today, and a beautiful day it was. Cromwell Valley Park is on a major hawk migration route. http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=621

When I stopped by today, about 2:30 pm, they had already seen about 500 hawks, and more than one eagle.

Wow.

The migration is not over yet, and all are welcome to enjoy one of nature's great sights.

The hawkwatchers are splendid people, and friendly. 

Please stop by. They'll be delighted to share their knoowledge, and you'll have a great day.

Meanwhile, back at the camera site. 

The camera has been set to record video since my last visit. Below, you'll find several videos. I noticed something interesting in the current camera location. While I recorded several videos, almost none were during daylight hours. The camera is set at the highest point in the park, in a forest with oaks and other trees.

Acorns, as you may know, are a major food source for deer, squirrels, some birds, and other animals. 

So I expected to see more daytime activity. But almost everything the camera recorded was at night.  Perhaps, the animals are closer to water during the day? 

I got several videos that I have posted below. I enjoyed the one of some animal investigating/attacking the camera in detail. It's the first one below.

This one may be Sasquatch, (or Blobsquatch).

More later.

An Eastern Box Turtle was waiting to greet me....

When I checked on the camera Saturday, I was delighted to see this handsome turtle waiting patiently, enjoying the view. It didn't move all the while that I was adjusting the camera, and didn't even tuck inside its shell. That surprised me.

I might add that this turtle was pretty far from water. You may recall that I have the camera on the highest point in the park, on the top of a ridge about 260 feet above the Loch Raven Reservoir, and Minebank Run, where the beaver lived last year.


Also hanging around was this caterpillar. It was on the back of a small sign that I post next to the camera, explaining what it is. I'm bad at caterpillars, and would be happy to have one of you tell me what it is.

Please.












And what, you're probably asking, was caught on camera this week?

The usual, I dare say.



 I'm not sure what bird we have here.

 Right now, these two are getting along. But soon they will be fighting over the does, won't they?

 These are beautiful animals, aren't they?

 The Ridgelys of Hampton (www.nps.gov/hamp) used to keep squirrels as pets. They even put leashes on them.

And on the way back to me car, I happened to look over this bridge. See a brown squiggle on the right side of the pool? It looks like it could be a stick, perhaps. It isn't. It's a Northern water snake.


That makes the total for this week:

1. deer
2. fox
3. squirrel
4. bird
5. snake
6. caterpillar
7. raccoon
8. turtle

More later.

Cue Timon, Cue Simba, bring in Rafiki--it's the circle of life....

So, like the Car Talk Puzzler, the blog has been on summer vacation. But we are now back to work.

I have two things to offer with this entry. Some new pictures and an interesting beaver update.

After the beavers were flooded out, I decided to take the camera uphill to see what might be seen. Below are some pictures from that.

Meanwhile, new beavers were seen in the park. A small start of a dam was seen upstream from any earlier sightings. Today, I had a chance to explore, so I determined to go and see what that new dam looks like. I started about 50 yards upstream from the old dam and walked. I walked through water, and sand, and, and, and, found nothing.

That's not really true.

I found a turtle.

And a Great blue heron. (It's in the center background, trust me.)
















And a really cool looking dragonfly.


















And a deer.




















And proof that a fox has been around.



















And I found that my boots and socks and pants were very wet.












All in all, a good Thoreau kind 0f saunter.

But I did not find any sign of beaver. So, I turned around and went back upstream. I decided to go all the way upstream to where the beaver was firs seen about a year ago; just to see what was to be seen.

I saw the original beaver den. It was built pretty well and is still there. It's probably home to another animal.
















A few yards upstream, just where the old dam was--you'll never guess what I saw.

Wait for it.

Can you guess?

the dam. 21 August 2013.

Yep. The beginnings of a new dam, just where the old one was.

And just about a year after the old one started.

Another year--another cycle.

Fascinating.








Other notes. As you can see from the pictures below, the deer are forming new antlers. Fall, and the rut, are coming soon.

I don't plan to keep the camera on the beaver this time. I am looking to the hills this fall and winter, so have decided to keep the cameras at higher elevations. It'll be fun to see what is up there.

More later.