Leave it to beaver

As my time in McDowell Forest Preserve begins to come to a close, I look back and realize I’ve seen many wonderful things. But until recently, I hadn’t seen a beaver. I’d seen their work: the gnawed on or gnawed down trees. I’d see the attempts to prevent that work: fencing around the bottoms of young trees. I’d seen what I thought were their dens, but I’d never seen an occupant.

A few weeks before Christmas at the end of my walk while watching the geese on the river, I spotted the V-shape of what I first thought was just something floating. However, it looked to be moving too fast and as I watched, it turned, heading to the opposite shore. I thought it might be a muskrat.

I saw where it went, so I climbed down to the river, making my way as silently and slowly as possible to the pile of logs and rubbish (er, building materials) seen below. I waited. Suddenly I saw what appeared to be a floating stick suddenly upended and a furry head popping just out of the water. It was the beaver I’d waited so many years to see! I stood quietly with my phone out and an enormous smile on my face as it came home. Every walk since when I’ve had my Nikon, I’ve sneaked over and waited, but so far I haven’t seen the beaver again. Never mind. I saw it this once and it was grand!