What is the beaver in Y O U R neighbourhood up to?

[Dreispitz]

This is the current work of our local beaver. Quite busy, that creature

 

[Lefty]

at the national park a few miles from me

I don't have any pics of the beavers, but here are a few shots from the area that I previously posted in the What Hat are you Wearing Today thread.

With the muskrats, I can't tell they're not beavers until their ratty tails are visible.

It's been a nature hike kind of day.

muskrat

It got too warm for my wife to keep her hat, so it went back in the car before I could get a photo.

RD Casual (with the sweat ring that doesn't come out)

 

[Atticus Finch]

Well....OK...the thread's title took me aback for a moment.

I have beavers at my house. Quite a few of them, actually. And as cute as they are on TV, in real life they are aggravating creatures. They sneak into my yard from the river and gnaw my trees....especially my young trees. If they didn't make such nice hats, I'd be tempted to introduce a few of then to Mr. Winchester.

AF

 

[mayserwegener]

This is the current work of our local beaver. Quite busy, that creature

Time to make him or her into a hat!

Back in 1999 a group of beavers took out some of the famous Cherry Blossom trees along the DC Tidal Bason.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/daily/april99/beaver10.htm

 

[zetwal]

It's funny you should post this today. For the past few days now a beaver has made our local news more than once. He's been hard at it and the news crew shot some good footage of him paddling about and working on his dam.

 

[SteveAS]

And as cute as they are on TV, in real life they are aggravating creatures. They sneak into my yard from the river and gnaw my trees....especially my young trees. If they didn't make such nice hats, I'd be tempted to introduce a few of then to Mr. Winchester.

By any chance do you mean, because they make such nice hats, I'm tempted to introduce a few of them to Mr. Winchester?! :whistling

 

[CRH]

This is about 75 yards from my house. There was a bunch of fur balls lying around, one of which you can see in the bottom left. I wonder if that's silver belly?

I haven't seen the critter and I haven't noticed any more evidence of activity. Maybe something or someone scared it off?

 

[Atticus Finch]

By any chance do you mean, because they make such nice hats, I'm tempted to introduce a few of them to Mr. Winchester?! :whistling

You know, that had not occurred to me. I wonder if I boxed up a few of those furry beasts and sent them to Art with a note about my hat size...

AF

 

[CRH]

You know, that had not occurred to me. I wonder if I boxed up a few of those furry beasts and sent them to Art with a note about my hat size...

Between the lot of us, Art will have to start up a little tanning and felting factory in his garage!

 

[Andykev]

Fur balls?

This is about 75 yards from my house. There was a bunch of fur balls lying around, one of which you can see in the bottom left. I wonder if that's silver belly?

I haven't seen the critter and I haven't noticed any more evidence of activity. Maybe something or someone scared it off?

Either a domesticated cat preening/shedding, or "Owl Pellets"?

Did you see if there were mouse or rodent "scraps" in the fur balls? Like skeletal remains? Owls eat then regurgitate the inedible parts of the rodent.

 

[Art Fawcett]

You know, that had not occurred to me. I wonder if I boxed up a few of those furry beasts and sent them to Art with a note about my hat size...

AF

Bring them on guys..I know where to send them!!!

 

[SGT Rocket]

Beaver Lodge

I saw a new beaver lodge taking my kids to day care today. I believe it's in the Minnesota river, you can see it going north on HW 77 crossing the Minnesota river bridge, real close to the HW.

No pictures, don't really want to get out of the car on the HW. lol

 

[CRH]

Either a domesticated cat preening/shedding, or "Owl Pellets"?

Did you see if there were mouse or rodent "scraps" in the fur balls? Like skeletal remains? Owls eat then regurgitate the inedible parts of the rodent.

Yes, Andy, you are on the right track. First thing, I did a quick survey looking for evidence of a kill. This creek is hunted routinely by fox and groundhogs, hawks and owls looking for an opportunistic meal. No small insect, wodent or wabbit is safe - or bird for that matter!

I perused the area with the 'Chief Officer of Scentological Cultural and other Critter Affairs' and we couldn't find anything remarkable or barkable for that matter. She, BTW, is also the 'Officer of Scat Assessment and Mapper of Holes and Tunnels'.

The fuzz balls - did I call them fir balls earlier? - were mostly stuck to sharp pointy structures like some critter had used the area for a scratch.

I did gather up some of the fuzz balls and made a quick spit felt.

I, regrettably, have no recollection of what distracted me from taking a photo of that spit felt.