Hot Dam!

A couple of Wednesdays ago, I followed our Big Creek down to a beaver's dam on a neighbor's property.  Well, I've been watching an area of the Big Creek where it goes through a culvert beneath our driveway and forms a large natural pool.

I've thought the pool was growing and on Tuesday I decided "Hot Dam!"  A beaver has been hard at work here too. 

Look closely and you can see the raw ends of freshly cut branches stacked atop the dam.

This photo shows part of the sizable Ash tree the beaver fell as well as a structure that might be his lodge in the foreground.

Here's another look at the dam.  It's mostly wood in the center and then on the middle right there is an earthen dam running at 90 degrees. 

The back right shows a muddy trail where the beaver has been moving back and forth with his construction materials.

Another patch of muddy ground.

And up the steep bank on the opposite side of the creek.

This patch shows the beaver climbing up out of the creek at the edge of the culvert along our drivewat.

I think this is a beaver print in the mud.

The is the Ash tree that has furnished much of the dam-building material.

This cut is in the middle of the tree.

This is the cut that fell the tree.

Here the beaver has removed large strips of bark.

  

And these three round cuts show where large branches have been expertly taken off.

There's a pile of said branches stockpiled, awaiting placement on the dam. 

No sign of the beaver - they are extremely shy. 

There were two male Downy Woodpeckers flitting about in an Ash tree (one that is still standing) while I surveyed the dam site.

The day ended with a spectacular sunset.