Image 1

Image 2

We observed tracks along the creek upstream of the beaver habitat and the trail bridge (images at left). The creek is now partially frozen over alternately in sections that vary from a few feet to almost twenty. At several points, these tracks will disappear, as shown at left, and then reappear again (center of Image 2) along the path of the creek, coincident with the open water.

I have concluded that the beaver’s den is not the pile of twigs and branches shown in an earlier post; there are no tracks around that particular site now. We have not found any locations where tracks seem to concentrate, so the location of his den is back in the “unknown” column.

If this beaver is beginning to explore in a wider circumference, he is likely to proceed further upstream and eventually get to the wide bog area created by the previous beaver population. We then expect him to realize that this is a much better location and end up there.
Referring to our map, this would mean moving from the green icon location to the gold icon area.