Busy Beavers/Ahkerat majavat

Beavers Photo credit


We have been busy beavers here, at our Maine camp. After taking the summer off from our Mothership adventures (motorhome edition), we are almost ready and very excited to head south, again, in our Mothership. A lot to do, for sure before we can take off, which is this week!!



We've been preparing our camp for winter, as when we return, there will most likely be snow on the ground. Yard work is always a must at fall time in New England.

Wait. Did you see that? Something odd in the picture...

No, it's not the teens and their yard work methods.

Let's look closer.



Do you see that?



We are about to lose a tree! The local beaver does not seem to care about the shoreline zoning rules!

**** When we asked our local friends how to protect our trees from beavers, we got multiple people telling us we need to pee on our trees! What?! Apparently the beavers don't care for human urine. Their sense of smell is excellent.

So, any volunteers?



These pics were taken on October 10th, around the time we discovered the evidence.



So freshly cut there was sap everywhere, and flies buzzing around it. No sign of the beaver, but we would need to sneak up on him during the night, if we wanted to see him - no thanks.



We kept an eye on the tree, but not much seemed to be happening for a few days.

Until one day, we heard a crash, in the middle of the day! So Little Miss and I ran out to check (the teens seemed less enthusiastic about bundling up to see what was happening - they probably figured out they could just check the blog, tee hee.)




The tree was felled! Again, we kept peeking at the tree here and there, and it did look like the beaver kept coming back to work on the branches. I would see loose branches floating near the dock, too. But slow progress.

Today we checked again.



We realized the old stump looked like it was work of the beaver, also!



At first it didn't look like much had chanced, but when we took a look at the branches, there was a big difference.



Interesting how the beaver is chewing on a part, then seems to give up and move a few inches over?



Good thing their teeth grow continuously - that wood looks to be very tough!



Pretty neat homeschooling discovery, right in our own backyard! Little Miss and I have been learning more about beavers, thanks to this discovery. We really enjoyed this Kratt Brothers episode on beavers.



After we get back from our adventures on the road, I'm sure we'll be checking on our 'beaver tree', first thing. Will it be gone by then?

******************************************************************************

Me olemme olleet ahkeria majavia täällä Mainen mökissämme. Tällä viikolla alkaa syksyn asuntoautoreissumme, ja paljon on vielä tekemistä.

Löysimme takapihalta majavan jyrsimisen merkkejä yhdestä puusta, ja sitä olemme nyt seuranneet parisen viikkoa. Yhtenä päivänä kuului iso rysäys, ja puu oli kaatunut.

Kuusi alinta kuvaa on otettu tänään, kun kävimme katsastamassa Pikkuneidin kanssa kuinka majava on jyrsinyt oksia isosta puusta. Yllättävän hitaasti on edennyt puuha, mutta sitä on ollut kiva seurata, ja Pikkuneidin kanssa olemme opiskelleet majavien elämää.

Saa nähdä onko puuta enää rannassa, kun tulemme reissulta takaisin?