Beaver Activity
The beaver completed construction of a new lodge on the western arm of the Lake during the fall and winter. Ann had noted that they had moved from their old lodge on the western shore and build a large burrow near the roots of a fallen tree last year, and they improved on it significantly over the winter. Last summer, I also noticed that they had been cutting significant channels along the lake bottom in that area. It is unknown whether or not they still occupy the old lodge.
There is also some activity by a young beaver (2-year-old?) on the eastern side of the Lake, in the Pulk Hole Brook wetlands. It/they built a small dam across the brook in one or two places, and there are burrows in the bank downstream of one of the dams. There is no danger of them damming this brook to the point of flooding so long as they stay clear of the culvert that runs under Route 5 near the parking lot of the strip mall across the road. There were a large number of beaver cuttings on the downstream side of the culvert, but none on the upstream side, which is protected by a beaver baffle. That activity may or may not from the same beaver(s) - there have been no reports of beavers crossing Route 5, although they may actually be able to access the culvert by going around the beaver baffle.
They do appear to carefully choose their sites with a fair amount of complexity of thought. Both of the lodges on the western side of the Lake were located near springs which ensure a constant supply of fresh water and help them to moderate temperatures in the lodge year-round. Both lodges are also located near the large water lily (Nymphaeae odorata ssp. tuberosa) glades for a year-round food source, but also near extensive stands of Grey Alder (Alnus incana) which appear to be the beavers' preferred building material (they seem to select this over the various willows, which may be a preferred food source). The beaver also occasionally cut down youngish hemlock trees, apparently because they just don't like them!
The new activity by the young beavers in the Pulk Hole Brook wetland area also has an interesting side note as it is located at the confluence of a small rill that contains conspicuous iron bacteria that discolor the water that seeps into the wetland through the main dike that forms the Lake. There was an old iron sluice gate at that location which, though blocked up and no longer functional still probably emits iron into the seep water. I know that beaver need iron for their teeth, but can find no research to suggest that they might actually select a location such as this, so it may just be coincidental.
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