tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482505096625898322024-02-18T22:58:52.614-08:00Sherwood BeaversFollow the exploits of the beavers and other wildlife in and around the Sherwood Glen pond.Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-20978395037364840832023-11-18T12:50:00.000-08:002023-11-18T12:50:24.507-08:00The Beavers Are Gone<p>I'm saddened to tell you that the beavers are no longer occupying our ponds. Over the past few years the numbers were dwindling from a high of about 12, down to two at the beginning of this season. Things were looking as sparse last year as we saw no evidence of kits in the spring and again none this spring. </p><p>The picture below shows the pond in November of 2022 and November of 2023. The first sign is the fact that the beaver lodge has collapsed in the center. Secondly, to the left of the lodge in the 2022 picture, you'll notice and sticks and branches poking above the surface of the water. That is the food cache where they store food for the winter. You can't see it in the 2023 picture, but there is no cache visible this year.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlqB2N1D9D3V1BXr_MR1B3-wB79gJjG14TBShQ3T1bfowRHQsDjwGsCVaG1t3JdMHdq82ikylEhp122yvX_-iY-ApAAHnW3wuFn3LrEIVYorSky3iXyjZwiakJcqWHcx9MpyDwP6enSrFVzX27NQko-obGusn24uDNVPbb0sPo12zf5-W7ED7PMtfcmY/s1638/Lodge%2011-22%20and%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1638" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlqB2N1D9D3V1BXr_MR1B3-wB79gJjG14TBShQ3T1bfowRHQsDjwGsCVaG1t3JdMHdq82ikylEhp122yvX_-iY-ApAAHnW3wuFn3LrEIVYorSky3iXyjZwiakJcqWHcx9MpyDwP6enSrFVzX27NQko-obGusn24uDNVPbb0sPo12zf5-W7ED7PMtfcmY/s320/Lodge%2011-22%20and%2023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>It's impossible to say exactly why this happened, but it probably started happening back in 2018 when the dam on the lower pond gave way. In subsequent years predators and drought added to the pressure on the beavers. Beavers mate for life and as far as I can tell the same couple has been in residence since we moved here in 2009. It's entirely possible that old age was the final blow.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAybut43jhgjP0M8rwtmz4VQVboM8jt5uKGLQai1ceev64QcjV_JB1WCxkyr7zY2sv_Yx-S1ard8zRCRYlnY4-Zvx3uGWsBQ6YAs7SZ0dd0vG1BUYw3i3iFls7CnMCc_NWj4aINXOs17hiWlVSiR3EeBmppSrKR_uy_Pz97MLoX2fydwb6dcZIOSUmtjE/s4032/20180809_083014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAybut43jhgjP0M8rwtmz4VQVboM8jt5uKGLQai1ceev64QcjV_JB1WCxkyr7zY2sv_Yx-S1ard8zRCRYlnY4-Zvx3uGWsBQ6YAs7SZ0dd0vG1BUYw3i3iFls7CnMCc_NWj4aINXOs17hiWlVSiR3EeBmppSrKR_uy_Pz97MLoX2fydwb6dcZIOSUmtjE/s320/20180809_083014.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>So that begs the question of what the future holds for our ponds and the beaver population. As one of my friends in the Facebook Beaver forums said, "beavers come with invitation and leave without notice." </p><p>Beavers establish scent mounds around the pond to mark their territory and let other beavers know that they are not welcomed. With the beavers gone the scent mounds will lose their potency and other beavers coming into the territory may feel free to take up residence.<br /><br />Those of you who have been around for a while know that we need the beavers. In a somewhat understandable but monumental design flaw, the builder installed a road between the 2 ponds and ran our septic lines run under the road. By doing this he took 300 feet of natural wetland drainage between the ponds and channeled it through 4 culvert pipes. This guaranteed that the beavers would be attracted to the flow and clog the culverts. That history is all here in past posts. </p><p>If the dam were to breach there is a good chance it would wash away the road and expose or damage the septic lines. The beavers maintain the dam and the dam is the only thing protecting the road.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfRgk0JJ0kr_UxRqw_TC4cc-TKgN_FebQ8o0bqydqgubCgRckZ9udmG1RDnbAVFLQpNwZcf8PuI9UJ-jivgRHwTgBE4Ydnh_tVR40RPzZUF6fQVcp-NwcNEHwzThr_h-AeFeo2rl4sScKoS61CjyegeU6zQauyq2UMrK3qvZ7r-dpueBCbUrAjK7Xnio/s1217/dam1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="1217" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfRgk0JJ0kr_UxRqw_TC4cc-TKgN_FebQ8o0bqydqgubCgRckZ9udmG1RDnbAVFLQpNwZcf8PuI9UJ-jivgRHwTgBE4Ydnh_tVR40RPzZUF6fQVcp-NwcNEHwzThr_h-AeFeo2rl4sScKoS61CjyegeU6zQauyq2UMrK3qvZ7r-dpueBCbUrAjK7Xnio/s320/dam1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />The good news is that in 2011 we installed a pond leveler to stop the growth of the upper pond. When it rains it drains the excess water into the culvert and through the pipes to the lower pond. That's one of the things that caused the growth in the beaver population, because they had much less work to do maintaining the dam and that gave them a lot more time to do other more entertaining things.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LVfpRBzk5PM" width="320" youtube-src-id="LVfpRBzk5PM"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /><br />So now it's a waiting game. Hopefully the pond leveler will continue to do its work and prevent the dam from deteriorating the way it would if the leveler wasn't in place. We can't put a vacancy sign up or place an ad in the Beaver Gazette to attract other beavers, so we'll just have to wait and hope that a beaver or two will come along and repopulate.<br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNp-THRlfp9ZMIjGwpYE30AhKpCUzo9E_P_JFkFhefdnfAXdYZkisDT2li2TfSUa0S57hTBE52plcBPB3rSewCfdyf5mXv_HLUuEsQRVj_YWuXdUeKGAaI1lHUJPHiK2r-Lv2S0D4RwZVKaBcyWQAMkeBmLqe44kJT6uzquFrDQQeegkJAQwK38JhYWo/s1445/keystone1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1445" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNp-THRlfp9ZMIjGwpYE30AhKpCUzo9E_P_JFkFhefdnfAXdYZkisDT2li2TfSUa0S57hTBE52plcBPB3rSewCfdyf5mXv_HLUuEsQRVj_YWuXdUeKGAaI1lHUJPHiK2r-Lv2S0D4RwZVKaBcyWQAMkeBmLqe44kJT6uzquFrDQQeegkJAQwK38JhYWo/s320/keystone1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-45799525729950629562023-03-24T13:16:00.005-07:002023-03-30T18:39:33.003-07:00The Month of the BeaverWow! It has been almost exactly 4 years since my last entry here. I know this is a blog about our beavers. I will get there shortly, but please bear with me as I explain my absence.<br /><br />Looking back over the past few years, 20-20 hindsight lets me see my health was headed in the wrong direction. It hit a low point on December 17, 2021, when I had a heart attack. My right coronary artery had a 100% blockage. Now, thanks to modern medicine and 3 stents, I'm alive and kicking.<br /><br />For me, it was a wake-up call. I changed my diet and began regular exercise. The biggest challenge was keeping my salt intake down to 2000 mg/day. To give you a sense of how difficult that is for me, I was the guy who would salt potato chips, and my favorite snack was extra salty pretzels from Unique Pretzels. I would buy a box containing 6 bags and go through them in a little over a month. That's a little more than 56,000 mg of sodium. No wonder I had a heart attack.<br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTBIaMsKhodBldM61oQKCu_cRQB-9gbzK5xD-4ioPr9F9Ecs7c6jLprmppTkzgozUsHTKPB1F2XWtyuR0SgTqA0r7xq_cC3o2TqddiA9z_MS536Qu3jjntxcoAM9cSugfMRJlX4EimYx_52a6F8xhyhhiU2gHjbNqUQQ5ZxJtkmW4mUUtv0rPpdnx/s577/extrasalt-splits-diagram-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="577" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTBIaMsKhodBldM61oQKCu_cRQB-9gbzK5xD-4ioPr9F9Ecs7c6jLprmppTkzgozUsHTKPB1F2XWtyuR0SgTqA0r7xq_cC3o2TqddiA9z_MS536Qu3jjntxcoAM9cSugfMRJlX4EimYx_52a6F8xhyhhiU2gHjbNqUQQ5ZxJtkmW4mUUtv0rPpdnx/s320/extrasalt-splits-diagram-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>At any rate, I'm healthier than I have been in the past 10-15 years. I'm back to my college weight and have not had a salt shaker, pretzel, or potato chip in my hand since the heart attack. Well, actually, that's not true. I did have just one potato chip just to prove that it IS possible to eat just one Lays potato chip.<br /><br />That's enough about me. This is the beavers' blog, and at last night's Board meeting, I reported that from mid-March to mid-April is the month of the beaver. They have come out from their winter retreat in the lodge and are lean and hungry. They have to fuel up for the coming spring's work and the raising of kits.<br /><br />There is no green vegetation yet, so they will look for lunch wherever it is being served. Here on the pond, they have located the largest tree on the property. We had protected it with wire fencing in 2015, but they have finally found their way in and are feasting on the tender cambium layer under the bark. They aren't trying to bring the tree down, but their dining efforts will eventually kill the tree if it is not protected before they work their way all the way around the trunk.<br /><br />. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s716oz4Wg_WCrOjECs1a8W1RX81S6iSpKj2foROnME-1Sr0uVsjfrOiFRMVM_HmjYYPs5x9NyMaMlGNRRcu0mKaMycZ2CAnE2tTb1VkylUSM60D1BXjQCDJSK_K9wvBC7R3L9D0S0jGaZBz3edodBK6-NfX_R3uJ0YrDuGs5K3pE2kE4CmleP_D2/s4032/20230324_122735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="4032" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s716oz4Wg_WCrOjECs1a8W1RX81S6iSpKj2foROnME-1Sr0uVsjfrOiFRMVM_HmjYYPs5x9NyMaMlGNRRcu0mKaMycZ2CAnE2tTb1VkylUSM60D1BXjQCDJSK_K9wvBC7R3L9D0S0jGaZBz3edodBK6-NfX_R3uJ0YrDuGs5K3pE2kE4CmleP_D2/s320/20230324_122735.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>The old fencing had been mangled and looks like beavers' interpretation of January 6th. I'll be contacting the board later today about getting the needed fencing and making the necessary repairs in the next few days, as long as weather permits. We have a winter mix predicted tomorrow, but Sunday and Monday are supposed to be in the 50's.<br /><br />I also reported that spring thaw will bring more water to the pond, and the pond leveler will become active. This, in turn, will result in the beavers being attracted to the running water in the culvert and will cause them to do some damming. This is normal and to date, it has not presented any significant problems.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwfXktLJiI4vxX8a6GkoJMtgNdkJrTrkhPDpizdO-VEhj7VyhZmGW_PU9oKMxOeMhLcw8ANktyNfYwvHxuTTw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p>However, one never knows, and until the pond level stabilizes later in spring, we will be keeping a close watch to make sure there are no issues. If there are issues, it will be where you see the water flowing into the culvert cage. That's where they will attempt to dam first. If they do, it can be handled with hip boots, a shovel, and a rake.<br /><br />The kits are usually born in May or June, but if past years are the yardstick, our friends are eager beavers because we've seen kits in late April.<br /><br />Beavers are nocturnal, but it's not unusual to see them active in the early dawn hours or toward dusk. That's a good time to walk the trails to check out activity on the pond. <br /><br />If you are new to the community, this is one of the last videos I made of the beavers in 2019 and is one of my favorites. It rare to see that many beavers active at one time here on the pond. <br /><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4hJx3dk9hKk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>If you see anything of concern such as beavers working on a tree that poses a safety issue, drop me an email at awolinsky@3dwriting.com . There is a tree down now, but that was a dead tree brought down by the winds. The beavers are innocent of that damage, but not the one across the trail marked with the yellow caution tape. <br /><br />With that, I'll sign off and promise it won't be four more years before you hear from me again. <br /><br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-41401722841590814592019-03-30T13:35:00.000-07:002019-03-30T13:35:02.238-07:00The First Beaver Kit SightingOn April 22, Mike Callahan will replace the aging culvert cage I
installed in 2011. With the weather being so nice today, I decided to
fire up the $20 flea market lawn mover I bought 4 years ago to attack
the weeds along the trail.<br />
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Before doing that I decided
to inspect the lower pond. As I reached the culvert cage, the first kit
of the season showed his/her hide. We took each other by surprise and I
only got about 7 seconds of shaky video, but it was obvious the little
critter was only a few weeks old.<br />
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The
situation at the far end of the lower pond is status quo. Jeff has his
trail cam out and tells me that there has been inspection by the
beavers, but not damming activity. There is a constant flow through the
dam and the pond level won't get higher until they secure the dam. I'm
confident that they will do just that.<br />
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As I think about
it it's not surprising they are not working at the far end. Since they
moved to the upper pond after last year's dam breach, their focus in the
spring will be the upper pond. They will make sure that dam is secure
first. Once that is done, they may head toward the lower dam.<br />
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The ducks are loving the lower pond. The shallow water makes food easier to reach.<br />
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We've
has at least three otter sightings. That's good news and bad news. It's
good news because they are fun to watch and are a sign of a healthy
pond ecosystem. It's bad news because a hungry otter could easily see a
baby beaver as a meal.<br />
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I hate the gym, but love working
out in nature. It felt great to get out and do some physical work,
because I just can't "become one" with a treadmill.Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-86333046025925974322018-11-03T13:43:00.000-07:002018-11-03T13:43:37.586-07:00Beaver Update 11-3-18Much has transpired since the dam breach in August. The beavers from the lower pond have moved to the upper pond, but have been working to restore the breached dam while they prepare to winter in a previously abandoned lodge at the far end of the upper pond.<br />
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The lower pond has been recovering nicely, but the excessive rain is once again threatening to cause a breach. Even the upper pond is stressed water is flowing over the dam in a half dozen places and water is flowing through the culvert faster than ever.<br />
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Here are some videos taken over the past two months.<br />
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This is the condition of the dam and the lower end of the pond on 11/3/18. There is quite a bit of flow and it is early in the day. Hopefully the beavers will get to work on it tonight along with repairing the much smaller breaches in the main dam, which are not shown here. <br />
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This is the lower pond as it looked on 10/29/18.</div>
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Since the breach of the lower dam, the water flowing through the culvert has been driving the beavers crazy and they are doing everything they can to get into the culvert cage and access the culvert pipes. The only good part about the substantial flow is that it is too fast for them to try to block the outflow. The inflow is protected by the culvert cage and it's 6"x6" steel mesh. However the beavers have put their youngster to work. He or she is small enough to fit through the 6"x6" mesh. The videos below document some of this activity.</div>
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This is what transpired the week of 10/11/18.</div>
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On a different topic. Critters around the pond continue to prepare for winter. As I was walking the trail to check the dam at the end of the lower pond, I came across this little guy.</div>
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I'm keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that the beavers fortify both dams in the coming week and that we have a dry November, followed by a good freeze that will take us to spring and the installation of a new culvert protection cage. </div>
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Watch for more updates as the beaver continue to do their thing. </div>
Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-43826925630436659592018-08-26T15:40:00.001-07:002018-08-27T11:18:29.000-07:00It's a Waiting Game<br />
Beavers need about three feet water around the lodge in order to be safe against predators,
survive freezing, and to be able to cache enough food to survive the
winter. It seems obvious that even if the beavers repaired the dam immediately, there is little or no chance of that happening before winter. I suspect the beavers knew that long before I did, because there seems to be no further efforts to seal the breach. They have either moved on, or retreated to an unused lodge in the upper pond.<br />
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However, that hasn't stopped the activity of the beavers in the upper pond. They do not like to flow of water through the culvert after a rain and were working to try to breach the cages. Their persistence and ingenuity never cease to amaze me. They managed to burrow under the culvert cage enough to get their teeth into the culvert pipe, chew it away and make their way into the culvert. Then mouthful, by mouthful, they dragged pond grass and mud all the way through to begin damming the other side.<br />
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Because of the tight fit, they are not able to get any sticks inside the culvert and the work they have done so far will be washed away with coming rains, as long as I prevent further excursions into the culvert.<br />
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<b>UPDATE 6-27-18 -</b> A picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a thousand word update on what I have done to stop further culvert clogs.<br />
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I suspect that if they do get through this, we have Arnold Schwartzenbeaver living on our pond. </div>
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<br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-27690092901811871562018-08-20T08:25:00.001-07:002018-08-20T08:40:25.464-07:00Dam Breach and Repair Update 8-20-18Here's a short video update on the work being done by the beavers to repair the breached dam. In it,<br />
I make reference to the fact that they are not repairing the breached area and are working under and behind the tree they bought down. This actually not a new work area. They were actively building back there in 2015. I blogged about it then. <a href="http://sherwoodbeavers.blogspot.com/2016/02/beaver-activity-on-lower-pond-during.html">You can find that blog entry here</a>.<br />
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<br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-58942438550931922072018-08-09T06:46:00.003-07:002021-07-17T13:20:59.703-07:00Beavers and Murphy's LawBecause of heavy rains we've had this month, the lower pond was growing
faster than expected. So yesterday, I contacted the NH Wildlife Society
to make sure I could apply for another grant to put in a pond leveler at
the far end. They said that they would be happy to accept the
application, but during the night Murphy's Law kicked in, and the dam at the far end breached, draining the lower pond. The
good news is there was no damage to common areas or condo units and thanks to the pond leveler, the upper pond is in no danger. <br />
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The beavers have already begun to rebuild, but there are still questions
and concerns that will have to be answered in the days to come. </div>
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How
long will it take the pond to recover? Were their damming efforts
taking place during the breach and now that the pond is drained, will
they continue to dam or will they abandon their efforts? </div>
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The pond leveler in the upper pond is functioning perfectly and thanks
to heavy rains this week, it is feeding the lower pond water that it
would not be getting otherwise. Also, the fact that we had the pond
leveler installed was, is, and will be added protection against breach
of the main dam. </div>
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However, the water is flowing through
the culvert pipes at a rate that would normally attract beavers to the outflow
culvert cage installed this spring. Will they concentrate efforts on the
breached dam at the far end? Will they try damming the culvert? </div>
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We certainly won't be needing another pond leveler for a while, but we
may have to modify the outflow protection, if the beavers try to dam it.
I guess we are going to have to watch and leave it to the beavers.<br />
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The only immediate action that is required has been taken. I left a
message with mosquito control and am awaiting a call back. A few years
ago, I had contacted them to see if we had anything to be concerned
about. At that time, they said the pond itself was no problem, but they
put us on their watch list and check us during normal inspections. <br />
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<br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-19524008888121626372017-10-30T10:18:00.004-07:002017-10-30T10:20:53.724-07:00Last Night's Storm and the Beavers<br />
In the beginning of the month, I notice that for the first time since the installation of the culvert protection fence in 2011, the beavers made
headway on blocking the outflow side of the culvert and they broke
through cage the one weak spot in the inflow side.<br />
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The broken cage was a 5 minute fix and the outflow blockage didn't concern me, because I knew that a significant rain would break through and wash it away. Murray Scott help with the repair and unblocked one of the pipes knowing that the beavers would do their thing overnight.<br />
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I figured that the situation could be handled in spring with the construction of protection cage on the outflow side and was prepared to wait until then to do more detailed assessment of what was needed. Enter Mother Nature! <br />
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Yesterday and last night we were under a weather alert for high winds and heavy rains. While many here were watching with concern, I have to admit that I was watching with optimistic anticipation. I knew that my theory about the outflow blockage would either be confirmed of proven wrong. I'm happy to say my prediction was confirmed. Not only that, to partial blockages that were previously unable to deal with, were broken free.<br />
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This morning I donned my hip boots and cleared some of the debris to make it difficult for the beavers to do any more blocking of the outflow side. I don't have a BEFORE picture, but I have and AFTER picture that I doctored to simulate the BEFORE.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPldSqFzIgbRffvj46WJ6ZOdYXipe5rKgIFEMs8fd5espwT1exgib8orzpY91scJCNcBAtXvAb3akhyphenhyphen1UkKpSXNZZ1LLYI2kAARzJC-rWJNuQpcA7hNB32ODTk6MYiukURMMOHwaW_2o/s1600/Before+and+After.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="1018" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPldSqFzIgbRffvj46WJ6ZOdYXipe5rKgIFEMs8fd5espwT1exgib8orzpY91scJCNcBAtXvAb3akhyphenhyphen1UkKpSXNZZ1LLYI2kAARzJC-rWJNuQpcA7hNB32ODTk6MYiukURMMOHwaW_2o/s400/Before+and+After.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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On the other side of the pond, there the pond level rose considerably, but the pond leveler is doing its job perfectly. When I checked it this morning water was flowing over the dam in two places. The first is the pond leveler and the second is the Beaver Highway. The beavers will continue to be unaware of the flow through the leveler, but they will definitely notice the flow over their by-way. It's entirely possible the flow will stop by this evening, but if not, I'm curious to see if they leave it or try to repair it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkD5YxuwC1GtZKHjnQCm-KHs6Kw14idUzsLhyphenhyphenDPYKCKOQqRx8gabouGP0s3N211e5H24dOrOaw2DVJ_ALBJsFQK7rF_39jHp513Do7hmLLh5i8LDaoW2Sx2NNBUATGFdVmUIPRK9a0Rw/s1600/Flow+over+dam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="933" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkD5YxuwC1GtZKHjnQCm-KHs6Kw14idUzsLhyphenhyphenDPYKCKOQqRx8gabouGP0s3N211e5H24dOrOaw2DVJ_ALBJsFQK7rF_39jHp513Do7hmLLh5i8LDaoW2Sx2NNBUATGFdVmUIPRK9a0Rw/s320/Flow+over+dam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-78410863115862928602017-04-17T09:39:00.000-07:002017-04-21T13:06:59.477-07:00An Entertaining, Amusing, and Disappointing Podcast<br />
Sam Evans Brown's NPRNH <a href="http://outsideinradio.org/shows/ep36">Outside/In podcast</a>, Leave it to Beavers, just aired. For many, it was entertaining, but I was disappointed. Oh, it's not that Sam wasn't engaging, charming, and amusing. Rather, it was because of the way the information was edited and presented was not what I expected from NPR.<br />
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You might expect that kind of common to be coming from a beaver lover, but that's not the perspective from which I am writing. My observations are as someone who was posting online in 1980, long before the blogging was a word, and someone who <a href="http://3dwriting.com/resume">spent 25 years teaching</a> people about educational technology integration and effective online communication, including blogging, podcasts, vlogs, wikis, web sites, digital story telling, propaganda, advertising and so on.<br />
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So you see, I know a few things about the editing process and telling a story, but was also interviewed for the podcast. So I know what I said, the context in which it was said, and what ended up on the editing floor. So with apologies, to Liam Neeson, <i>I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. </i><br />
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But don't worry, I'm not going to track down or kill anyone, and I'm not going to rant and rave. I will however, point out how I think Sam unintentionally set a trap for himself that resulted in what should have been a balanced presentation, turning into a distinctly unbalanced one.<br />
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In his introduction, Sam tells us, "Humans and beavers have a long history together because they like to
live in the same places, but the way we've built our infrastructure has
almost guaranteed our two species will be locked in eternal conflict. We have created a trap for ourselves. A trap that ensures that we will come into conflict with nature’s most industrious rodent." He then goes on to introduce Carol Leonard of Maine, who wanted to build her dream house, but beavers on her property had other plans for the land. I thought that was a great introduction to what was going to be a thoughtful and informative discussion of how we can resolve that kind of conflict, but it turns out I was wrong, and ironically, I think think this is where Same unknowingly set a trap for himself. <br />
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Up next, is a short Beaver 101 course and some history of how we wore them on our heads, nearly wiped them off the face of the continent, built over their habits, and then brought them back, because they are good for the ecosystem and because some of us enjoy hunting them. <br />
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This is where some of the disappointment begins. There are inaccuracies that one could argue, have little or no bearing on resolving conflict though co-existence, but none-the-less, they are inaccuracies, and I'm going to nit-picking facts in this blog. Others have done that and if you are interested, you can check out Heidi Perryman's <a href="http://www.martinezbeavers.org/wordpress/2017/04/14/a-modest-beaver-proposal/">response to the podcast,</a> along with <a href="http://www.martinezbeavers.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/proof.pdf">her fact checking</a>. I'll warn you in advance. Point a fan at the monitor. Otherwise, your monitor might burst into flames. Heidi was considerably more upset than I.<br />
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Next we move to Pat Tate, of NH Fish and Game, who make a case for why we have to trap and kill beavers, because of the carrying capacity of the ecosystem and killing some beavers is good for other beavers. Whether I agree or disagree is not as important as the fact that we are now 17 minutes into the podcast and still haven't talked about resolving conflict through co-existence. We're ecosystem carrying capacity and beavers in conflict with other beavers. I think its off topic.<br />
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Eventually, Sam begins to speak with Skip Lisle. Skip is the nations top expert on co-existing with beavers. He has designed and installed thousands of flow control devices, has studies and statistics that prove they work amazingly well, are cost effective, and beneficial the ecosystem, but wait! Sam introduces us to Skip, only for a short rebuttal of Pat's opinion.<br />
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Here's a time-lapse of Mike Callahan of BeaverSolutions.com, building and installing a pond leveling flow control device on our pond two years ago. It took 3 hours from beginning to end and has been working perfectly with zero maintenance.<br />
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That brings us to Sam's visit to Sherwood Glen. Again, I won't nit pick. Let's just say that Sam misunderstood my position on trapping. Sure, I don't like it, but I'm not anti-trapping. However, I am dead set against killing beavers out of convenience. What we did here at Sherwood Glen had absolutely NOTHING to do with the morality of trapping, carrying capacity, or helping beavers who are bullied by other beavers.<br />
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We did this as a community, for the community, the ecosystem, and the birds and wildlife they support. We had a conflict, we studied, contacted experts, discussed solutions, and decided co-existing would be a win-win situation. We did it because of what they do FOR us, not what they do TO us. Here's a presentation that will give you a better idea of <a href="http://mysherwoodglen.com/beaverpresentation2/">what we did and why we did it.</a><br />
<a href="http://mysherwoodglen.com/beaverpresentation2/"><br /></a>
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The success, effectiveness, and benefits to the ecosystem were most important factors in determining a solution to our conflict. We did it right and it worked the first time. That was six years ago. I think that's important to mention when discussing how to co-exist. Unfortunately, our reasons for choosing that path and the success we achieved are not part of the podcast. That is a disappointment.<br />
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All of what I have said so far is predicated on my belief that NPR holds itself to a higher standard of information than typical commercial programming, and that when a social issue or controversial topic is covered, the information is balanced and fair. If I'm wrong in this, then in the words of <a href="https://youtu.be/OjYoNL4g5Vg?list=PLcEvhDkecQwnVTZOU70Wd4OyB7EfkIBPo">Emily Latella, "Never mind..."</a> On the other hand, if I'm correct, let's finish up with the evaluation. <br />
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I don't think Sam was successful at achieving a balance between entertainment and journalism. It's something he addresses in <a href="http://outsideinradio.org/shows/ep35">Episode 35 of Outside/In,</a> where he talks about faking scenes in nature documentaries. Sam says, "But nature documentaries, rooted in science as they may appear, are not
bound by the same ethical considerations that science or journalism are."<br />
<br />
I believe the science and journalism aspects of Leave it to Beavers, suffered at the expense of entertainment. Now there's nothing fake in the podcast, but there is one technique Sam used that compounded the omissions and inaccuracies. It started at the very beginning with the introduction of Carol Leonard story and the choice to end with her. It was a good choice from an entertainment and engagement standpoint, but a poor one in terms of balance and what the conclusion of a podcast should do.<br />
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The conclusion of the podcast, blog, or any story should tie everything together. By starting and ending with Carol, everything in between becomes part of her story. While I respect her feelings about trapping and hunting, terms of co-existing with beavers, her efforts to co-exist were an epic failure.<br />
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If Sam had chosen to tell Carol's story of a seven-year failure, and opposed it with our six years of success, a different picture would have been presented to the listeners.
In the introduction she says, “For seven years I said, you can’t kill them, you have to outwit them,” I can point to thousands of examples where they WERE outwitted, on the first attempt, had Sam included Skip or I making that point, it would have achieved some balance, but instead it planted a seed in the listener's mind that you can't outwith them and you can't win. That seed bears fruit in the conclusion. <br />
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She goes on to say, “In my naivete, I said oh well we’ll try these beaver deceivers and these beaver bafflers and all these do-hickers,” and that the beaver carried off and hid the last one she tried. To this, Sam adds that Skip would say she did it wrong.
I'm sorry, Sam, that disclaimer is worse than fine print. You saw what works and why it works. Only a family of 400 pound beavers would be able to move our culvert protection or pond leveler. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHa88JmCzAQggqE0zIOpseHWz4ERSYeVeE4a1tedQbKROKgqKkDi46L0F-tyhqO1klipL20x1jH823ruW68jyVeFkE9oL6e17qi4zQIdCuyuhjLsW2xBd1fwvjC6QqVrP8QkxI8uEs8C8/s1600/beaver.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHa88JmCzAQggqE0zIOpseHWz4ERSYeVeE4a1tedQbKROKgqKkDi46L0F-tyhqO1klipL20x1jH823ruW68jyVeFkE9oL6e17qi4zQIdCuyuhjLsW2xBd1fwvjC6QqVrP8QkxI8uEs8C8/s200/beaver.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
Another point that needed to be made, and that would have achieved some sort of balance is the fact that what Carol did would be the equivalent of a trapper spending 7 years trying to kill a beaver with a mousetrap. If you want to trap a beaver, either bring in a pro or get the information and equipment you need to do it right the first time. If you want to co-exist with beavers, you call a pro or get the information and equipment need to do it right the first time. We did and our community and ecosystem are reaping the benefits. <br />
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This blog, I'm sorry to say, is not a story of how, why, or if we should co-exist with beavers. The message conveyed to the listener, in the words of Heidi Perryman was, "If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em."<br />
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<b>4/17/2017 ADDENDUM - </b>This morning, Laura Knoy did a live follow up on to Leave it to Beavers, on <a href="http://nhpr.org/post/conflict-over-coexisting-beavers#stream/0">her NPRNH show, The Exchange</a>. The show was, in my opinion, much more balanced. Had it aired with or immediately following the podcast, this blog might have been different. Then again, if Carol Leonard had contacted Skip Lisle when she encountered her problem, her story and Sam's podcast might have been different.<br />
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<b>4/20/2017 ADDENDUM - </b>Every cloud has a silver lining. As I pointed out in my blog,
I think one or two key points I made when Sam visited me, were left
out. My displeasure and that of other "beaver believers" resulted in a
bit of friction.<br />
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The interview follow up on The Exchange the following Monday, went a
long way to smooth over concerns. The sliver lining here is that in this
case, the controversy wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I think it
ultimately resulted in my message is getting out. My Sherwood Glen
Beaver blog and the time-lapse video of the pond leveler installation
have both seen bumps in readership and viewers. <br />
If I was still teaching college courses in online communication, this
whole situation would have made for a dynamite two weeks worth of
lessons.<br />
<br />
I just got off the phone with Sam, where we discuss all of the above
and considerably more. Our conversation was cordial, constructive, and
productive. I think he's talented and entertaining, and it's a credit to
the NPR listeners who are following up by visiting my blog and video to
balance things out. All things considered, I think both sides are
being seen and the listeners, readers, and viewers a getting all sides
of the issues and they can come to their own conclusions. I can't
really ask for much more that that.<br />
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Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-73521654868283865272017-04-08T13:58:00.002-07:002017-04-08T14:14:29.290-07:00Flow Control and a Tree in the TrailThis morning, Lorrie sent me a text alerting me to a tree that the beavers brought down on the trail, just past the first bench. As I headed out with the chain saw that the board purchased last fall, the first thing I noticed was the flow control device doing it's job. Water was flowing at the fastest rate I have seen since its installation just under two years ago. The water was flowing on the far side of the pond in a way that would maintain the pond level, but wouldn't trigger damming activity by the beavers.<br />
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As I made my way past the first bench, I saw two trees the beavers had taken down. One on the side of the trail was already stripped of branches. The other larger one was across the trail, but hadn't been stripped of branches.<br />
<br />
The chain saw made short work of the top half of the tree with all the branches. I cut things into manageable pieces and threw them down the bank between the trail and the pond, blocking the beavers' logging road.<br />
<br />
Sometimes in the past, trimming trees in this manner resulted in the beavers ignoring them. Had I left them on the other side of the trail, they probably would have left them either because of my scent or the smell of the cutting oil. By placing them in their path, I'm curious to see if and how they deal with them.<br />
<br />
Early spring and late fall are when beavers down trees. There's not much that can be done during the fall, because the tree count is due to the storage of food for the winter. We've already used wire to prevent them from taking the larger trees.<br />
<br />
Spring is a different story. In spring, trees provide material for the dam and food until plants begin to germinate. They still have their appetites, but because the pond leveler is doing its job, the use of trees for dam building is curtailed significantly.<br />
<br />
It's been five years since we built the culvert cage and on April 29, it will be exactly two years since we installed the pond leveler. And so, another year of peaceful co-existence begins.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="320" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iU1F2BlMNpU" width="560"></iframe>Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-10300670187387659892016-05-01T07:10:00.000-07:002016-05-01T09:59:47.146-07:00The Beaver Night Shift and Child Labor The culvert protection fence and pond leveler are doing their jobs nicely. As a result, there is a steady flow of water on the outflow side of the culverts. While this is not alarming to the beavers, after a rain it is enough to spur them into action. However, clogging an outflow that is protected by 6"x6" steel mesh presents a significant problem. The outflow washes away the mud and the mesh prevents them from using large sticks and logs that would be held in place by the mud.<br />
<br />
They do their best, and over the course of the entire last season, the best they could do was to build a ramp up to the outflow, which spread and dispersed the flow enough that it wouldn't bother them.
But beavers are cleaver creatures, and this year they have somehow been able to dam the first 6 inches of each pipe.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, this presents absolutely no problem for us, but I noticed the difference in construction. Somehow, they were able to include small twigs (6"-12''). They didn't do that last year. I was curious as to how they were doing it. So yesterday, I set up a trail camera and spent about two minutes to removed the six inches of mud and twigs in front of one of the pipes.<br />
<br />
Imagine my surprise this morning when I checked the video and saw a beaver INSIDE the culvert pipe. The 6"x6" mesh prevents adult beavers from entering, but it was not enough to keep out the yearling that was working the night shift.<br />
<br />
Since beaver have no child labor laws, it was perfectly legal. The small amount of damming they are able to do presents no problem, and I'll leave well enough alone. If it does become a problem, an overlapping piece of steel mesh will turn the 6"x6" into 3"x3". That should solve the problem, unless of course my bolt cutters go missing.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NMOSWP8PRwE" width="420"></iframe>Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-10541135769055761912016-03-12T18:43:00.000-08:002016-03-12T18:56:42.213-08:00A "Sticky" Situation with Beavers and GeeseAs I reached my shooting location on the lower pond, I noticed that the beavers has stripped a six or seven foot branch. While this is an everyday occurrence, what was unusual was were they left it. I was just setting up the camera to take some video of it when I heard the familiar honking of Canadian geese over my left shoulder. I swung the camera around just in time to catch them swooping in over the trees. After they settled in, they provided me with a way to show the stripped branch in a way that couldn't be scripted.<br />
<br />
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y_7xbLghaTc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-20906995296319870222016-03-10T08:12:00.001-08:002016-03-10T08:13:35.571-08:00Beavers Swimming on the First Warm Day in MarchIt was my first "stake out" of the season, and I lucked out. By pure
chance, I was at the far end of the lower pond when the beavers came out
of their lodge. At first there was one, then two, and at one point I had
four in the shot, and a fifth did a tail slap about ten feet from where I
was standing. I haven't seen any kits or activity in the upper pond yet.<br />
<br />
Here's a five minute beaver ballet.<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NHm-ioMVhUI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-3713429453663655072016-02-28T13:11:00.002-08:002016-02-28T13:11:56.042-08:00Beaver Activity on the Lower Pond During the Winter of 2015-16I broke out the bushwhacker to begin trimming back woody growth along the trail head and up to the culvert. Unfortunately, a missing part resulted in cutting short the effort. Undaunted, I headed back and prepped the lawnmower to deal with non-wood, dead weeds along the trail. After changing the oil and gassing up, I grabbed the throttle bar to start it, and the throttle cable snapped. The universe was telling me to go take a hike, so it I did.<br />
<br />
On this trek, I headed to the far end of the lower pond. If you remember, last fall the beavers began reinforcing the long abandoned, original dam and then promptly began another dam only about 20-30 yards down stream.<br />
<br />
The old dam was reinforced to raise the level of the lower pond and afford the lodge more protection. The second dam was most likely made to assist in moving branches and logs for their winter lodge, food, and dam work.<br />
<br />
When I observed them last fall, I wondered what the spring would bring. Today's walk seems to suggest they are continuing to work on BOTH dams. If they do, the pond will continue to grow eastward toward Ham Road and possible southerly, toward Rt. 27. Neither of those growth areas pose any problem for the condos.<br />
<br />
However, continued work on the original dam at the end of Locksley will result in a rise in the level of the lower pond. This is an area we need to watch this spring and summer season.<br />
<br />
Here's an overview of the activity on the lower pond.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pXD3AWwljHo" width="560"></iframe><br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-73441179175264130442016-02-26T07:36:00.002-08:002016-02-26T07:36:45.683-08:00Beaver Activity 2-25-16I took advantage of the great weather today to check out beaver activity around the pond. I was happy to see there was minimal activity on the condo side of the pond.<br />
<br />
The bulk of the activity so far, and hopefully into the spring, is on the far side of the pond, along the trail to the old picnic area, and in the wood off the trail around the picnic area. The video below, gives you a quick look at that.<br />
<br />
There was not new activity anywhere around the upper pond, including the trail up to Arrow from the clubhouse. <br />
<br />
The mild winter has been kind to the dam and there is not much repair work for them to do.<br />
<br />
The culverts are in good shape and will take only a few minutes of maintenance.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HBgYPYR5ZHM" width="560"></iframe>Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-84770868460264892162016-01-11T11:19:00.001-08:002016-01-11T11:19:54.883-08:00An Open Letter to Bill ReidDear Bill, <br />
<br />
On January 9, you wrote an article for the Norwich Bulletin, titled <a href="http://www.norwichbulletin.com/article/20160109/entertainmentlife/160109736/?Start=1">Exploring The Last Green Valley:Beavers are nature's engineer</a>. For the most part it was a positive article which gave beavers their due respect as engineers and agents of positive ecological change. On the negative side, you also express your love-hate relationship with our common friend and the actions you had to take; namely trapping and killing them. <br />
<br />
Indeed, when beavers come in conflict with human interests and income, there can be frustration that results in short term relief to the two legged interests, but rather negative consequences to the beaver who are trapped and killed. However, as you noted, the relief is short lived, because the beavers are soon replaced by others. What most people don't realize is that there is a better solution.<br />
<br />
I'm sure as you look down the road, you see a picture of ongoing conflict, beaver trapping, and the associated expense and time involved in protecting your interests. We were once in your shoes. Trapping has been a solution for hundreds of year, but now there is a better way. Let me present you with another picture; one in which the pond is maintained at it's current state, future growth is stopped, the beaver population is maintained at about the current level, and you build a long term relationship with your furry neighbors. You might even get to know them by name.<br />
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The reason trapping is a short term solution, is because of a fact you missed in your article. Beavers are very territorial and they self limit their population. When their kits become about 2 years old, they are sent packing. They will travel up to 50 miles in search of another pond. often falling prey to predators along. So when you trap beavers on your pond, all you have done is put a big Vacancy sign of the Reid Pond Motel.<br />
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The reason beaver populations grow is because, as ponds grow they will support more beavers. The two year-olds just move to the far end of the pond and stay out of mom and dad's hair. The secret to limiting beaver populations is to take advantage of the two pieces of information; namely that beaver move on in two years and if the pond doesn't grow big enough to support them, they will move elsewhere.<br />
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If that sounds like the ravings of an animal nut, I would have to plead guilty to the animal nut part, but believe me when I say I have not been partaking of any illegal substances, nor am I diluted. You see, we here at Sherwood Glen have been peacefully co-existing with beavers that inhabit our pond since our first conflict in 2009. We have done it through a program of culvert protection and pond leveling devices. The beavers have done the rest, and we have done a lower expense and less aggravation than trapping. You can find all about what we have done, what we are doing, and what we are planning for the future by exploring this blog. <br />
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You can probably do the same sort of thing on your property and like us, save money and aggravation in the long run. If you would like more information feel free to contact me or check out the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/339105817425/"> Facebook Beaver Management forum</a>. They provided me with all I needed to get our program underway, not to mention the fact they also pointed me to your article.<br />
<br />In closing, I want to thank you for the positive recognition of the beaver's role as a keystone species and encourage you to look into the idea of maintain and managing the pond, rather than trapping the beavers. This will allow you to build a long term relationship with the current residents and will give you plenty of material for follow up articles, beginning with one that details the installation of your own flow device.<br />
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Best Regards,<br />
Art WolinskyArthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-22820312601280327432015-12-06T16:01:00.000-08:002015-12-06T16:04:06.386-08:00Beaver Presentation 12/3/15In past years, the beavers took down trees around the pond and trail without disturbing much of the shoreline along the condos. However, this fall they began taking down trees that provide privacy along the back of the condos. This concerned some of our new residents, as well as some of our long term residents who were beaver believers.<br />
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We all agreed that the trees needed to stay, but the beavers didn't need to go. In keeping with our long term efforts to co-exist with our longest standing resident rodents. The board enlisted the help of the building and grounds committee to begin protecting trees with wire, and over a period of three days, about 100 trees were protected.<br />
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That should provide enough relief for the winter, and come next spring, we can finish protecting trees around the condos.
At the same time we were protecting the trees, we wanted to bring our residents up to speed on the benefits the beavers bring to Sherwood Glen and provide them with a bit of history concerning or interactions and conflicts over the past half dozen years. So on December 3, I made a presentation at the clubhouse.<br />
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I was pleased to see more than two dozen residents in attendance, as well as receiving messages indicating there were folks who wanted to attend, but were unable to do so. In order to provide information for those folks and others who might want it in the future, <a href="http://mysherwoodglen.com/beaverpresentation2/" target="_blank">here is a multimedia version of that presentation. </a><br />
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<a href="http://mysherwoodglen.com/beaverpresentation2/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://3dwriting.com/beaverpresentation2/" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNVjTHrQnYMTNHYwfOIlSWGSR4GOzSfGLjKTA0T_-Juv_4iYkjcB0br6dvyCD33pRmmaXffkPPQ8q3wbBqwlnrxe3kMWGCDZYm5lMsIIcmISGylmYT7PW9akL84qlbDpiiVAYNjvj6WE/s320/gnaw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-37642381098260628132015-11-27T16:44:00.001-08:002015-11-27T16:44:35.136-08:00Protecting Trees from BeaverThe beavers have decided to work on trees that border the condos. When they decided to gnaw, they wasted no time and we had to react quickly. A few hundred feet of wire later, we had more than 60 wraps, many of them protecting multiple trees. Here's a quick peek at some of the work.<br />
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tukmQNRVKCQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-15153690290242163322015-07-02T09:58:00.000-07:002015-07-02T09:58:26.746-07:00Septic Leak Resolution<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgOvs8WGn6b83KdQlx0LQm-HaK4ccAXYJ5kqOw1E9eqXr8041RYBUsD6e-VL4D2hDRdIuZpYjCRyaDlE-HPLBS5Y2bJZt55hid2pb7S7nMwdznmLEju6MGEKbnl7DjP1AORtiokAj9cA/s1600/SepticLeak2015-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgOvs8WGn6b83KdQlx0LQm-HaK4ccAXYJ5kqOw1E9eqXr8041RYBUsD6e-VL4D2hDRdIuZpYjCRyaDlE-HPLBS5Y2bJZt55hid2pb7S7nMwdznmLEju6MGEKbnl7DjP1AORtiokAj9cA/s200/SepticLeak2015-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Well this update is a tad late. Let's chalk it up to life getting in
the way, but I'm happy to report that the leak was handled quickly and
efficiently. <br />
<br />
Thanks to Larry Kelly and his prompt response, the leak
was located and repaired within a matter of hours of their arrival. The Sherwood residents thank him and the Sherwood beavers thank him for helping to keep their home clean and healthy.<br />
<br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-82832764041131554582015-05-23T10:15:00.001-07:002015-05-23T10:17:35.130-07:00Septic Leak and Water TestingLast week, as I was checking the culvert area, I noticed the water was cloudy on the outflow side of the culvert. I also got a whiff of what smelled like sewage. That's not unusual in muddy areas, but then I noticed that water was not only flowing out of the culvert pipe, it was flowing from under the pipe. A closer examination seemed to indicate that the source was one the septic lines that run from the pumps, under the trail, and out to the leach fields.<br />
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We called Epping Septic and Kellop Construction to come check it out. A septic line leak in one of the two, 2 inch lines that run under the culvert was confirmed. <br />
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Kellop did some tests to determine which pump and which line has the problem, and will be fixing the problem. According to them, it's a 2 inch line under the culvert. The line was enclosed in a 6 inch pipe in order to make any future repairs as easy as possible.<br />
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On a side note, two weeks ago, we had Epping septic check the holding tanks it the leach fields. This was the first time these tanks have been tested and the board was concerned about what we might find. What we found surprised and pleased all of us. The state of the tanks was perfect. From the fairly extensive research the board has done about our septic system, we are very impressed with the quality of the work that was done on the leach fields. <br />
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Getting back to the leak, while a leak is hardly good news, I wouldn't classify it as bad news, at least not at this point. According to Epping Septic, the amount of gray water flowing into the pond is not significant and should be no immediate problem. According to Kellop, who agreed to fix the problem as part of the work they have to do to finish up here, the repair should be a relatively simple one. <br />
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At the conservation committee meeting this week, we discussed water testing as a long term practice and as a way to assessing the impact of the leak (if any) on the immediate area. At the same meeting we discussed protecting about two dozen of the larger trees on the other said of the pond, from the beavers. On Wed. morning we will walk to identify the trees and begin the water testing.<br />
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This is a message I just sent to the conservation committee:<br />
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After exchanging the emails with the state volunteer lake testing
folks and the some research into pond test kits, I held our first
fund raiser (my credit card) and purchased this basic test kit. <br />
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.amazon.com/API-Pondcare-Master-Liquid-Test/dp/B0002DJNN0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1432396452&sr=1-1&keywords=pond+test+kit">http://www.amazon.com/API-Pondcare-Master-Liquid-Test/dp/B0002DJNN0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1432396452&sr=1-1&keywords=pond+test+kit</a><br />
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It should be here by Tuesday and we can do some testing as we take
our walk on Wed. Attached is a spreadsheet for recording results,
including a map of relatively easily accessible sites for testing
sites.One indicator we will want to examine closely will be the phosphate
level. I expect the septic leak area will have a significantly
higher content than other areas. The levels of phosphate would
normally be expected to be the same at sites 3 and 4, but with the
leak, it will definitely be higher at 4. Once the repair is made,
it should quickly return to equilibrium. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2mUq7KnLGZTvI98RDHpfC6D9h85W5JLbDLFuXXyi2DVDM_DXMIOCPJAiZ4JCyXwaay1L5sbz1rvMwnDUHyAS_91nnNhzTiH-fElQpj09E-bBYK1GIu1k-uiL0lj8hx3uRzpg1m3LUVA/s1600/Testing+Sites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2mUq7KnLGZTvI98RDHpfC6D9h85W5JLbDLFuXXyi2DVDM_DXMIOCPJAiZ4JCyXwaay1L5sbz1rvMwnDUHyAS_91nnNhzTiH-fElQpj09E-bBYK1GIu1k-uiL0lj8hx3uRzpg1m3LUVA/s320/Testing+Sites.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I think it will be a good idea to test sites 4, 8, and 9 on a daily
basis until the leak is fixed. I would expect readings to vary
greatly at site for, depending on how soon after a pumping cycle the
tests are made. However, the telling results will be sites 8 or 9.
Any rise in reading at those sites could be an indicator of
trouble. I don't expect any changes in either site, but better safe
than sorry. If there are any changes, the test results will be
important in "encouraging" Kellop to make the repair in a timely
fashion.<br />
<br />
I would also like to run a series of hourly tests at site 4 to see
how quickly that area recovers after a pumping cycle. The key to
doing that is being around when a pumping cycle is taking place.
Taking a reading right after the pump stops and hourly thereafter,
will be very enlightening.<br />
<br />
It will also be interesting to check after a rain, because
fertilizer run off will also increase phosphate levels. It's
important to note that individual readings mean little, especially
when taken at a time when they would be expected to be higher than
normal. The most important indicator will be long term data
collection. </blockquote>
I'll post a follow up next week after our tree walk and water testing. <br />
<br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-15357853652049180612015-04-30T07:26:00.001-07:002015-04-30T07:26:59.866-07:00Flow Control Device Installed on Sherwood Glen PondWith the beaver dam and pond reaching the level of road, we felt it was time to do something to maintain the pond at it's current level. Enter Mike Callahan of BeaverSolutions.com. Mike has installed more than 1100 flow control and culvert protection devices around the country. <br />
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Mike arrived on the scene at 10:00 AM. After scouting out the best place to put the device, Mike began construction of the flow cage. The cage is submerged about 40 feet from the dam and the pipe will run from the cage to the top of the dam where it will be camouflaged in such a way to hide it in plain sight.<br />
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The installation was watched by about a Sherwood residents, Marty Devine of the Raymond Conservation Commission, and Patrick Tate of NH Fish and Game. Special thanks to Patrick for pitching in and helping Mike and I with the installation.<br />
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The event was filmed by Warren Barnes. His work is featured in time lapse video below and will be part of the Sherwood Glen Beavers documentary, I will be creating this summer. This was Warren's first shoot, but you would never know it from watching the footage.<br />
<br />
The way the device works is simple. Since water seeks it's own level, anytime the pond level rises to the height of the bottom of the pipe, water will flow over the dam. The sound should not attract the beavers and the cage will prevent them from feeling the flow into the pipe.<br />
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The installation was completed without a single hitch. Mike said that one reasons was the fact that we were being pro-active. In most of his installations, he is called in only after there have been serious problems with flood, which complicates the situation. So, by about 12:30 the cage had been built, assembled and installed. <br />
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The last thing Mike did was to make two small breaches on either side of the pipe. That served two purposes. First, it dropped the level of the pond to the point where no water was flowing out of the pipe, and second, it gave the beavers something to work on that night so they wouldn't notice the pipe.<br />
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I came out to check the pipe at about 7:00 PM. The smaller of the two breaches had stopped flowing on its own with the pond level drop. The other was still going strong. When I checked again at 7:00 AM, I was greeted with a loud tail slap as the beavers had done their job and were finishing up for the day.<br />
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Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-2969093134893814542015-04-19T17:18:00.000-07:002015-04-19T17:18:01.742-07:00Beavers and the Bird's Nest Mystery.<div style="text-align: left;">
Yesterday, some of the members of the Conservation Committee took a walk around the trail. Rachel pointed out an unusual tree trunk, bird's nest. These pictures show the amazing structure. It's in a very large, old swamp maple at the west end of the pond.</div>
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I've certainly seen nothing like it and that nearly perfect circle of discoloration seems to have a lot of other people stumped. I posted a pictures to the
Facebook Beaver Management Forum and asked for ideas. There's a lot of curiosity, but no one has yet come up with a good answer. <br />
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Probably the closest match anyone has found yet, is the red breasted
nuthatch. It used pine resin around it's tree trunk nest. I don't
think that it, because the gray-white ring doesn't look like resin and an Internet
search for images, showed no symmetry involved in their sap spreading.
If it's a nuthatch, it has OCD and an engineering degree.<br />
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The tree appears to be one of the biggest and oldest
around the pond. Unfortunately, the beavers have taken a liking to it and have begun gnawing. I have never seen them go after a tree this size. I suspect they may not be looking to down it, but rather simply dining on the bark on the exposed roots and base.<br />
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In either case, it's not a tree we want to see go down. I was Sunday afternoon when I realized they were up to their dam chewing. I had some stakes and fencing
still around from past repairs. It was a quick patch job and
I'm not confident it will keep them away if they have a mind to chew.<br />
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Here's 25 minutes of wire wrapping in a minute and a half.</div>
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The fencing and posts can easily be breached if they manage to get under it on the side that is in the water. I'm hoping that it's enough of a bother to them that they just move on
to something else. I'll know more tomorrow.Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-64464775391394401962015-03-15T11:15:00.000-07:002015-03-15T11:15:59.569-07:00A Busy Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The beavers have not been idol over the winter. I don't know if it is a reaction to the snow or anticipation of the spring melt and pond level rises, but they have increased the height of their lodge about the water level by about 30%.<br />
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I dug back into my archive of pictures and found a few shots that give a perspective of change over the years. These three shots speak for themselves. (Click on the pictures to enlarge.) You can see some of the winter food cache to the left of the lodge in the October 2014 picture. It's obvious that as they ate the bark and small branches, they used the large remains to built the lodge skyward.<br />
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Unfortunately, while the roofs of our condos survived the snow and ice, the same can't be said for the culvert fence. The weight of the snow and the rise and fall of the ice, took its toll and the far end of the culvert cage has collapsed. The good news is that a temporary repair should only take a few minutes and reinforcement can be made later in the spring when Mike Callahan installs the pond leveler.<br />
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While the repair should only take a few minutes, I have to make sure I get to the repair before the beavers discover they have access to the culvert. That mean daily treks to watch for sufficient melting to allow for a rather cold few minutes of repair. Hopefully my waders are sufficiently insulated.<br />
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I know there is a double entendre here about squirrels watching and nuts, but I'll refrain from committing it to writing. Let your imagination and your conscience be your guide. Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-7835306021478058842014-12-11T10:27:00.003-08:002014-12-11T11:11:54.794-08:00Beaver Dams are ToughEver since realizing we would be going into winter with the water level in the pond at the highest level it has ever been, I've been monitoring it closely and chatting with the experts on FaceBook's Beaver Management Forum. Consensus is that thanks to millions of years of evolution, the beavers know how to make tough dams. Instances of dam failure are few and in the vast majority of cases, failures are due to human intervention or extremely unusual situations such as a tree falling on the dam.<br />
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After three days of rain, water is running over the dam in a few places, but the feeling is that the dam is tough and the flow will ebb as the water level drops.<br />
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It's a good think I don't believe in omens because as I was composing my last post to the beaver forum, I was flipping through the channels and just happened to stop on this...<br />
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<br /><iframe width="426" height="240" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/53UqsRNl_VM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-848250509662589832.post-28873026161639518622014-12-04T16:10:00.001-08:002014-12-04T16:11:20.953-08:00Another Dam ProblemBy now you are familiar with our ongoing chess game with the beavers, who want to dam our culverts. While we've reached somewhat of a balance, the game goes on.<br />
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During the summer and spring, heavy rains and fast run off spur the beavers into action, and minor work is needed to keep the culverts clear. It's like shuffling pawns. By the end of this summer, I had them in check and was feeling pretty good about things. However, when I took my walk this morning, I found that while I had the beavers in check, Mother Nature stepped in to make their next move for them.<br />
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As each winter approaches I look forward to break from the chess game, because the pond freezes, snows covers it, and the beavers are less active. We both need the rest, because we know that it's always the calm before the storm. When the spring rains, the melting, and the run-off find their way to the pond, the water level rises, the dam leaks, the beavers react, and the chess game begins once again.<br />
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This morning as I walked along the pond, I noticed that most of last week's six inches of snow had melted and found it's way into the pond, BEFORE it froze. This means we may be starting the winter with a pond level that is considerably higher than it has ever been. <br />
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That gave me cause for concern, in terms of spring thaw. The pond level should go down some in the next week or so as it always does after a rain. Still, I wanted to do something in case it didn't or in case Mother Nature decided to get nasty. <br />
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During the summer, debris collected in the culvert pipes. This kept the flow from upper pond to lower pond slow enough so that the beavers don't get all worked up about it. I just let it stay there, figuring I would clear it in the spring as is my normal routine, but after seeing the level of the pond, I though that removing the debris could be serve as a mini-safety valve. It would drop the level of the water in the culvert basin by about six inches and in a small way, help the movement of water from upper to lower pond. It won't really do a lot, but whatever it does is better than doing nothing. <br />
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Now, if Mother Nature removes herself from our chess game, perhaps we can achieve a stalemate next year. Time will tell.<br />
<br />Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04191518215607822910noreply@blogger.com0