On a walk along the Madrona lakefront yesterday morning we saw a personal first in terms of neighborhood wildlife: a beaver swimming south right next to the concrete bulkhead. But we weren’t fast enough with the camera to get photographic proof.
But tonight on our evening walk we spotted it again: a rather large beaver swimming about 15 feet from the shore, this time headed north. (Perhaps a commute south for work in the morning and then back north home after a long day?)
This time we managed to get video proof, included above.
He didn’t seem phased by the large groups of people at the park on a warm, clear solstice evening. In fact, he passed right through the beach swimming area even though there were about a dozen kids and parents frolicking about in the water.
Some bystanders thought it was a nutria. But we’re very familiar with those vermin from our time at our grandparent’s lake house in Texas. This was much bigger, with little beaver ears, and a big flat beaver tail vs. the rat-like appendage of the imported invaders from South America.
Definitely a beaver.
Now we just need to give it an official name. Suggestions?
I think we should call him Captain Beavis. or it it’s a female Mrs. Chompers. :)
Les.
Madrona’s got herself a big brown beaver…
Madrona’s got herself a big brown beaver
and she shows it off to all her friends
one day you know the beaver tried to leave her
so she caged him up with a cyclone fence
along came Lou with the old baboon
and said “Recognize that smell?”
smells like seven layers,
that beaver eats Taco Bell
Did anyone else have trouble confirming it was a beaver? I’m not saying you’re wrong but I really couldn’t see anything other than something causing a ripple in the water. Call me a skeptic.
Are beavers news now? You want to see one go hang out on the bridge/dock in the arboretum during dusk – they are there all night. The big splash you hear is them slapping tail on their way under water.
The beaver lodges (usually at least 2) that are clearly visible from the 520 bridge are a dead giveaway too ;-). I’m not sure why it should be a big deal or news that there are wild animals in the city…. We have coyote, opossum, hawks, falcons and tons of raccoons too, as well as the occasional deer, rare cougar and possible bear sighting… I’ve seen photos from someone who lives in Renton of a bobcat looking in her back deck window at her cat…