Friends of the River Banks
Contact FORB
  • Home
  • Calendar
  • Priorities
  • About Us
  • What's Out There?
  • Important Issues
  • FORB Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Resources
  • Wildlife Species at SLP
  • Insects at Sutter's Landing Park
  • Education Materials
  • iNaturalist Observations
  • Walk on the Wildside@

Sunning Beavers at Sutters Landing Park by Robert Sewell

1/23/2014

1 Comment

 

This warm record breaking January 2014 weather seems to be coaxing the beavers at Sutter's Landing out to bask in the sun during the afternoons. Normally they are seldom, if ever, seen durning daylight. Bring your binoculars and take a look at these elusive animals which we often detect by where they've been and what they did, but rarely see in person. Notice how colorful their fur is when it dry. I first saw two of them this year on MLK day when I noticed what looked like a furry stump in the water near the river bank. Even with my binoculars it looked like a stump because it remained motionless for nearly a half hour. It quietly slipped into the water and swam up river past the second one resting on a log and then went into it's den. Many more den entrances are now visible with such low water levels. 

Tuesday Jan. 21st, our neighbor and her girls sent a text to say they saw five beavers! When I got there this was the only one still sunning. There was also a small group of common mergansers hunting and posturing near the beaver. The male mergansers have many attention getting signals such as making sudden loud splashes with their feet, tail raising and chest raising, see photos below. Another group were hunting down river, all together there were about twenty or more.

On Wednesday Jan. 22 afternoon, I saw the largest flock of meadowlarks I've seen this winter. They flitted and flew along the fence line of the mound and I guessed they numbered about thirty or forty.

It'll be interesting to see how the wildlife will fare at the Park this year, but they are survivors, especially with a little help from all their Friends of the River Banks. Please share your observations with FORB so we can all better understand the health and value of the Park and Parkway to wildlife, nature, and our enjoyment.

The best chance to see these beavers currently is to head upstream to the second trash can and look across the river from there. Good luck!
Picture
A favorite Beaver sunning spot.
Picture
The Beavers fur takes on a richer color when it dries out.
Picture
Common Mergansers, lower left. The male does a slash kick with its foot.
Picture
Mergansers pass by the Beaver without taking any notice.
Picture
Chest up!
Picture
Up river across from the beaver dens, north bank at Sutter's Landing Park.
Picture
Great Blue Heron, near a beaver den.
Picture
Female Merganser snorkeling for fish.
1 Comment
steve
1/23/2014 08:41:10 pm

great effort by all in keeping the city aware of its responsibilities. sorry i'm unable to be of help.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    various contributors

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Education
    Mushrooms
    Nature
    River
    Swainson
    Wildlife

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.