Beaver return to Lake Elkhorn

   There are no more interesting animals to inhabit our area than beavers.  Busy as a beaver is not just a saying.  The beaver shown below has taken up residence at one end of Lake Elkhorn.  I am not sure if this is a new beaver or just one that has relocated from the other end of the lake.

     Below is a picture of this beaver's den.

The beaver enters the den from underwater and then travels up into the higher portion of the den where it can breath air.  Below is a drawing of a den's struture.



    Before I noticed the den I had noticed the effects of a beaver dam on the stream leading into the lake.  What is usually a small stream that has just little flowing water in it is now full of standing water.  This is a sure sign of a dam.

     The area has the signs of the beaver chewing down small trees in the area.

    I found a couple of explanations for why beavers build dams.  Here are links to two.

P.S.

     When I visited the Maryland Book Bank last week I learned that they had their laptop stolen.  This organization operates on a shoestring and provides thousands of books to children in our area.  If you happen to have a laptop you are not using and would like to donate it to this organization contact me and I will get it to them.  My email is at the top of the blog.

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