"A Sand County Almanac"

"THERE ARE SOME WHO CAN LIVE WITHOUT WILD THINGS AND SOME WHO CANNOT."
"FOR US IN THE MINORITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE GEESE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TELEVISION.".....Aldo Leopold




"LOOK DEEP INTO NATURE, AND THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING BETTER".....Albert Einstein


“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves”.....John Muir


Saturday, July 6, 2013

Perserverence Pays

A few days ago I posted that a beaver had returned to a den site that I documented for the last two years. I have been checking the site daily, hoping to confirm the presence of one, or more, beavers.  On the way to the den area I have to cross a small stream that seems to attract Whitetail Deer for an early morning drink...



The same area also holds a variety of birds such as this Catbird...

 
 and this Sparrow...

 
When I arrived at the beaver den nothing was visible. Then, this Belted Kingfisher flew to a tree on the opposite side of the creek to devour a large crawfish for breakfast...
 

In a short time another kingfisher landed on a different branch to watch for prey...

 
After waiting for half an hour, I was rewarded by the sight of a beaver approaching with a green, leafy twig in its' mouth...
 

From past experience, when adult beavers bring twigs of this size to the den it often means the presence of babies, commonly called "kits".

The beaver turned out to be a large male that was the patriarch of a family group in the same area for the past two years...


He quickly deposited the twig in the den and then began looking for a snack for himself...



While munching his breakfast a smaller beaver approached.  I am fairly certain this is an adolescent, born in the same den last year, and the off spring of the large male...



They greeted each other affectionately...

 
and began grooming each others' fur...
 
 

 
 
 
Suddenly they were joined by a kit.  I was excited to see the small beaver and I hope it means more opportunities to document how the adults and the kits interact...
 
 
 
The kit disappeared back into the den and the adolescent continued to interact and feed with the adult...

 

 




While leaving the area, I noticed a spiders' web illuminated by a beam of sunlight...


 
I hope you enjoyed seeing the beavers as much as I did.  Thanks for visiting, and come back soon.




 

 

 
 





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