Beaver Lodge
On my posting from March 25th, I reported about the current beaver dam construction on and around Bullard Creek. As I paddled my solo canoe into the upper reaches of Wacouta Bay on April 4th, I discovered one of the largest beaver lodges that I have observed in many years in the Mississippi River backwaters. Fresh mud and sticks piled on top indicate current habitation.
Beaver
As I quietly paddled my canoe near the lodge, I noticed a large adult beaver along the edge of the water. Because beaver have very small eyes and possess poor eyesight, I was able to observe it for a couple minutes before my presence was detected. At that instant, the beaver dove for deep water and slapped it's flat tail as a warning to others.
I still have very vivid memories as a teenager standing in the middle of a shallow section of the Iowa river one evening fishing smallmouth bass. It was after sunset, as I noticed a beaver swimming upstream headed in my direction. Being curious as to how close it might come, I remained motionless. Before long, it was close enough for me to tap it on the nose with the end of my fishing rod. To say there was an explosion in the water in front of me would be an understatement.
Grooming Beaver
Beaver have very large webbed back feet which help them be excellent swimmers. On each of these hind feet, they have one very large split toenail that is used for grooming the mud from their fur. Without this adaptation, they would soon lose the insulating value from that fur.
Otter
After the beaver disappeared under the water, I quietly paddled my canoe closer to the lodge. My plan was to wait and see if the beaver might reappear. This plan was interrupted when I noticed a slight movement near the top of the lodge. I was totally surprised to see a very curious adult river otter peering through several twigs trying to figure out who this strange visitor might be in it's midst. Eventually, a second otter appeared nearby. Soon my cover was blown and they both dove into the water and disappeared.
Otter Slide
During the night of this past March 12th, we received 3 inches of fresh snow. On my way home from Red Wing on the morning of March 14th, I observed fresh otter tracks and a slide in the snow just off Wacouta Road heading towards the pond. Fortunately otter sightings along the river are becoming more and more common.
That has not always been the case. In 1956 as a sixth grader in the Harmony Elementary School, we took a class trip to Winona. The highlight of the day for me was a side trip to nearby Homer and a visit with outdoor enthusiast Emil Liers. Emil was raising three orphaned river otter pups at a time when otter were almost nonexistent in southeast Minnesota.
Wood Frog
On Tuesday April 4th, our small pond in the backyard hosting all the recent wood duck activity came to life with raucous calls of wood frogs. This species is found in in the forested regions of Minnesota and is typically the first to be heard calling in the spring.
Singing Wood Frog
Male wood frogs have paired vocal sacs and call while floating on or sitting in the water. After mating, the female lays from 1000 to 3000 eggs which hatch in about 3 weeks. The tadpoles will mature in from 6 to 9 weeks.
I have added an audio file on the Home Page under the photo strip that will play a recent recording of the Wood Frogs in our backyard pond.
Snow Trillium
Snow trilliums are now blooming on the north-facing slopes in Wacouta. Trillium nivale is the smallest trillium in Minnesota and one of the earliest bloomers. In 1984, the Minnesota DNR listed snow trilliums as a wildflower of special concern. Unfortunately buckthorn and garlic mustard have contributed to this threatened status.