Temporarily Giving a Dam

~ lmachayes

Another frigid morning and a dusting of snow set the scene for the Greater Lovell Land Trust docents and me as we tramped about the woods today.

b-trail

Hiking up a trail, it suddenly occurred to us that we were zooming–not exploring in our usual slow pace. Blame it on the cold. Blame it on the fact that we had a mission and I had a time frame.

b-pond 1

We knew of the beaver activity in these woods and were eager to take a closer look at their recent work. Oh darn. Such a task.

b-roadway dams

A couple of small dams stopped us in our tracks.

b-beaver log

And then we slowed down and began to notice.

b-chew and hole 1

Debarked logs and holes caught our attention.

b-beaver hole 2

Fairly fresh holes where a beaver recently came up for air.

b-lodge 1

Through the trees we spied the lodge.

b-beaver works 1

Cut saplings spoke of food and construction,

b-beaver works 3

while carved statues dotted the landscape.

b-beaver works 2

Hieroglyphics marked many a tree base.

b-beaver works 4

We saw signs of success,

b-beaver trees

near success,

b-tree falls wrong way

and potential failure–this one fell away from the pond and was hung up on other trees.

b-catkins

While circling the pond, we paused to offer admiration–of the speckled alder catkins,

b-ice on stream

ice works,

b-burl 1

burls,

b-yellow birch, hemlock

and relationships.

b-lodge 2

We reveled in a close-up view.

b-channel 5

And recognized more activity in broken ice and air bubbles.

b-beaver path to channel

With discerning eyes, we recognized a pathway and water channel,

b-tracks over log

and wondered about melted snow that possibly indicated recent action.

b-beginning of main dam

Dam construction occurred in a variety of ways and created more than one shallow pond.

b-dam crossing

An obligation I had ended our exploration sooner than is our norm. On our way out, we crossed a small dam–thankful that we’d taken time to ponder and wonder about these ponds that serve as pantries and highways. Though our visit was as temporary as this change in the landscape may be, we were happy to have the opportunity to give a dam.

 

6 thoughts on “Temporarily Giving a Dam”

  2. My only wish is that we’d had time to sit and wait. Can’t believe we actually covered 2.4 miles and without our usual zigzaggy approach. Fun morning to focus on those beaver works.

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  3. Saw the large “footprint” in the ‘ice work’ photo……bottom right. Also, beavers are such multitalented animals! Wood cutters, designers, visionaries, industrious, determined………….etc!

    Faith sent from my Ipad

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  4. Yes, they are multitalented, Faith. Our ecological engineers. We don’t always appreciate the work they do in our neighborhoods–perhaps we need to look in the mirror.

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  5. So..where was the Tues. dam tramp…I didn’t see where you mentioned it and it never looks familiar to me in the snow!!

    How many times must the cannonballs fly before they’re forever banned? Bob Dylan

    Sent from my iPad

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  6. You’ve been there before, Pam, only we approached for the opposite end last summer. And when we last visited this spot, we went to the pond down below–I don’t recall the current one being much more than a large puddle covering the wide trail. We walked all the way around the new upper beaver pond. Does that give you an idea of where it’s located? Private land, but not posted.

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