Beaver Valley Colony ( Kits in the Lodge)

 An adult beaver appears in the water, carrying vegetation back to the den for the kits inside. As the beaver gets close, it suddenly dives under water to enter the lodge from underwater. A cunning adaptation of the beaver is to make their entrances underwater, so that most predators wouldn't have a chance to get in. A few moments later the noises of the kits can be heard as they get excited at the sight of food. 

After the first three weeks of age, beaver kits begin to eat soft vegetation, gradually working their way up to the rough verdure an adult would eat. I have heard the kits a few times now at this location, a soft humming often mixed with the chatter of adults. Beavers don't seem to make much vocalization when they are out and about, but inside the lodge is a different story. Interestingly enough, with all the mud packed and heavy layers of branches it takes to have a strong lodge, it is much easier to hear the activity coming from inside than one might think. 

This is the lodge of the Beaver Valley Colony. In my limited observation over a few weeks time, it appears there are at least two adults and a number of kits in the lodge. It is a possibility that last years kits could still be hanging around at this time, but I have never seen more than two adults here at a time. One frustrating thing about beavers is that they are tough to tell apart. Typically, there are no unusual markings or characteristics on an adult beaver that would make it easy to tell apart, other than maybe size and bulk. Adult beavers typically weigh between 35 and 60 pounds, males weighing more than females. That however, is not always the case; thus it can be difficult to say for certain a number of adult beavers in any given location. Unless they were all out swimming at the same time. 

Beaver Valley Colony is located in an area of moderate foot traffic. There are often people around the pond; fishing, picnicking, sometimes even tent camping. These beavers seem to be fairly well acclimated to people, exhibiting caution and the occasional tale slap if they feel someone is too close. The amount of traffic in the area, I feel will directly impact the timing of teaching the kits to swim. 

On a humid and hot day, in the early days of Summer; one can imagine it might be pretty warm inside a lodge. The answer to this I do not know, and I cannot seem to find much research to indicate what the conditions inside a lodge are when its particularly warm out. It is easy to find information on how warm they stay during the cold weather, but that's a discussion I will save for another time. 

July has only just begun, marked by the blooming of the tiger lilies. Buttercups still dominate the roadside ditches as song sparrows begin to sing less. A lot of natural noise can still be heard in the wild areas of upstate New York. Soon the birds will halt their singing, making only little chip calls as they prepare for migration or winter; perhaps both. Breeding season will soon be over for the majority of wildlife, as they will have raised their young past the crucial and delicate stages. The dog days have only just begun, and in the world of a beaver there is still much to be done.