Tuesday, 3 November 2026

🦫 Barry and Brenda Beaver – workin' it

The saga continues. Barry arrived last year, Sept. 2025, I saw some signs. By November he was building a lodge, and I spotted him in the water. He's grown some since.


He's worked two years building one lodge his first year, and a second this year. Oct. 28th, 2026, I found two beavers working in the dark on video. 

This was funny! Here are the dual trailcams.

Barry was working on the far tree, moved away through the crunchy leaves. 
Brenda gives him a look, "You done already?" 
You can hear Barry as he splashes into the pond. xxx



And I found three lodges.

The blue lines show where there is deeper water, wetland canals exist. The 'V' is where they have the lodges. The encircled area has been overgrown for years. Trees, little islands, cattails, surrounded by water. It is barely navigable when it freezes over.

Lately, I've noticed more work on the wetland canals. This is important for their protection. They escape into the water to escape predators. 




On the other side of the wetland inlet, you can see how they've built up the sides of the canal. 



We've lost many trees, but we have 16 acres. This is just one wee section of the yard. 

The tree on the left is Brenda's, Barry's been working on the oak for days.


They've worked on two birch trees.

We've been concerned. Then I realized what was happening. They are creating a transportation system. It protects them, but it provides a habitat for other critters. Frogs, insects, birds, snakes, salamanders, dragonflies, turtles, deer, coyotes, squirrels, chipmunks, snowshoe rabbits, all like the wild berries, and the safety of the wetland.

River otter

What I didn't count on was finding a river critter. A river otter. They are using Barry's canals! 


8 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

It must be interesting to watch their progress.

Jeanie said...

Yikes. WHen they say "busy as a beaver," the really mean it!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
To have an otter move in too... Crumbly Acres is truly a haven, left in the trusty hands of nature, with just the necessary amount of custodianship from you. This delights me, no end! YAM xx

Gaelyn said...

They are a wonder to watch and especially the otter.

tz_garden said...

This is so fun to watch, he is serious about that Oak tree! What a surprise when the otter showed up.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It's encouraging to see the increase in their population in recent years.

RedPat said...

They are wonderful and it is great that you have an otter too. Will they all get along okay?

Jenny said...

How wonderful to share your land with these industrious beavers. And now to discover an otter too, how exciting.