Winter cozy beaver lodge
January 24, 2022 2:30 PM Subscribe
Six minutes of trailcam inside and near a beaver lodge in Washington State. No background music or narration; background noises and explanatory text. No-one gets eaten. Furry beasts pass back and forth.
Managed and posted by the Coastal Watershed Institute, who have been learning as much as they can from the undamming of the Elwha (previously, previously).
There are more videos linked at the original site, but they're mostly of small fish. Good explanations of why the small fish are so heartwarming to see, but I think it's easier for fellow mammals to vibe with the beaver.
Managed and posted by the Coastal Watershed Institute, who have been learning as much as they can from the undamming of the Elwha (previously, previously).
There are more videos linked at the original site, but they're mostly of small fish. Good explanations of why the small fish are so heartwarming to see, but I think it's easier for fellow mammals to vibe with the beaver.
Mod note: fixed link, I think
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 3:00 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 3:00 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
can definitely hear a human baby in that beaver lodge is this a kelly link short story?
posted by gwint at 3:20 PM on January 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by gwint at 3:20 PM on January 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
"trail camera now part of lodge" lol
I was planning to write, I want to see the kit! And then [spoiler alert] 5:02 kit appears!
Very charming. Much carrying of sticks!
posted by Glinn at 3:27 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was planning to write, I want to see the kit! And then [spoiler alert] 5:02 kit appears!
Very charming. Much carrying of sticks!
posted by Glinn at 3:27 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
After watching the documentary "Leave it to Beavers" and learning that Beaver lodges are also home to other critters in the winter (because they're so cozy!), I'm really wanting there to be a children's picture book or maybe early reader series about "The Beaver Lodge Hotel" where all kinds of fun and sweet adventures occur, similar to a "Wind in the Willows" vibe. This video confirms it all!!!!!!
posted by k8bot at 3:55 PM on January 24, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by k8bot at 3:55 PM on January 24, 2022 [10 favorites]
"Nearshore beaver story to continue"
...possibly with a new camera given the way they are burying that one in the reinforcements for the lodge.
posted by tavella at 3:55 PM on January 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
...possibly with a new camera given the way they are burying that one in the reinforcements for the lodge.
posted by tavella at 3:55 PM on January 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
Metafilter: No background music or narration; background noises and explanatory text
posted by CynicalKnight at 4:07 PM on January 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by CynicalKnight at 4:07 PM on January 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
“Yearling kit comes out to explore.”…the crying triggered something paternal in me and I would have appreciated additional footage of it returning from screen left after it wandered off.
I got a kayak this past summer to explore the lowers stretch of Toronto's Humber river and was absolutely blown away by many wildlife sightings but probably the coolest was seeing beavers…in Toronto. One swam directly under me in only a couple feet of water and it was HUGE.
posted by brachiopod at 4:44 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
I got a kayak this past summer to explore the lowers stretch of Toronto's Humber river and was absolutely blown away by many wildlife sightings but probably the coolest was seeing beavers…in Toronto. One swam directly under me in only a couple feet of water and it was HUGE.
posted by brachiopod at 4:44 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
One year on a beaver pond in northern Minnesota
posted by clavdivs at 4:58 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by clavdivs at 4:58 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
This is a delight. Something about the fact that it also captures the quiet sounds as they carry sticks and tromp around makes it extra great.
posted by pril at 5:21 PM on January 24, 2022
posted by pril at 5:21 PM on January 24, 2022
Good Beavers! Doing their jobs in the middle of the night...
Essential Workers right there
posted by Windopaene at 5:38 PM on January 24, 2022
Essential Workers right there
posted by Windopaene at 5:38 PM on January 24, 2022
Ohhhhh I loved this. Thank you, just what I needed. And agreed on savoring the quiet sounds of their effort, and the water and everything...I'd choose this over an edited short with twinkly music any day of the week.
I really enjoy watching beavers trundle about with their construction materials... The Oregon Zoo shares video on social media of one of their beavers--Filbert, their "Branch Manager"--as he works industriously away.
posted by theatro at 5:45 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
I really enjoy watching beavers trundle about with their construction materials... The Oregon Zoo shares video on social media of one of their beavers--Filbert, their "Branch Manager"--as he works industriously away.
posted by theatro at 5:45 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Wow, they really are pretty busy!
posted by rpfields at 7:29 PM on January 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by rpfields at 7:29 PM on January 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
This is a delight!
posted by Going To Maine at 7:35 PM on January 24, 2022
posted by Going To Maine at 7:35 PM on January 24, 2022
I saw a paper on Science Daiy or some such, concluding that beavers do not have an urge to engineer damns, per se, but rather have a dislike of the sound of flowing water, and are just trying to plug all the places that allow for gurgling water sounds. The Damns are a just a resulting outcome.
posted by StickyCarpet at 10:33 PM on January 24, 2022
posted by StickyCarpet at 10:33 PM on January 24, 2022
pamera1!
also IMAX (omnimax! ;) beavers :P
posted by kliuless at 10:41 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
also IMAX (omnimax! ;) beavers :P
posted by kliuless at 10:41 PM on January 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nice timing after playing Timberborn a bit over this last weekend...
posted by jontyjago at 11:52 PM on January 24, 2022
posted by jontyjago at 11:52 PM on January 24, 2022
I saw a paper on Science Daiy or some such, concluding that beavers do not have an urge to engineer damns, per se, but rather have a dislike of the sound of flowing water, and are just trying to plug all the places that allow for gurgling water sounds. The Damns are a just a resulting outcome.
If I reviewed this paper I would ask the authors to address the body of scholarship that is baby beaver rescue TikTok, because as far as I can see those squeaky little buggers are damming up every doorway in sight with plungers and shoes and children's toys, no gurgling water required.
posted by deludingmyself at 7:01 AM on January 25, 2022 [7 favorites]
If I reviewed this paper I would ask the authors to address the body of scholarship that is baby beaver rescue TikTok, because as far as I can see those squeaky little buggers are damming up every doorway in sight with plungers and shoes and children's toys, no gurgling water required.
posted by deludingmyself at 7:01 AM on January 25, 2022 [7 favorites]
All infrastructure maintenance all the time!
Ah, yes, "busy as a beaver!"
posted by Mesaverdian at 11:11 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Ah, yes, "busy as a beaver!"
posted by Mesaverdian at 11:11 AM on January 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
This was fantastic! Although much of my research these days is about the ecological effects of urban beaver dams, I rarely actually see a beaver (much to the disappointment of every student who has ever done research with me). Most recently, one Sunday morning, I saw a kit out for a paddle who looked like it was having a very good time. Mostly, if I see them at all, it's a tail flap on their way away from me. I argue that our hunting them nearly to extirpation was a pretty powerful natural selection event, and the descendants of those hardy few remnant beavers surely are adapted to stay away from us.
We have had great luck with game cameras. Urban beavers have to deal with a lot of damage to their dams from human activity and flashy urban stormflow, so the nightly maintenance is often extensive. We also get a lot of other wildlife on the cams, using the beaver dams for their own purposes, including otters (in the middle of Atlanta!), fox, coyote, lots of deer, blue herons, ducks, and the occasional turtle.
I will note that none of this footage was actually from inside the lodge. The wet camera was the lodge entrance and the dry camera was on top of the lodge. I was very much hoping to see inside the lodge! However, if construction keeps going the way it is, that top camera may soon find itself inside the lodge, but it would be very hard to get an SD card out of it at that point.
posted by hydropsyche at 2:58 PM on January 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
We have had great luck with game cameras. Urban beavers have to deal with a lot of damage to their dams from human activity and flashy urban stormflow, so the nightly maintenance is often extensive. We also get a lot of other wildlife on the cams, using the beaver dams for their own purposes, including otters (in the middle of Atlanta!), fox, coyote, lots of deer, blue herons, ducks, and the occasional turtle.
I will note that none of this footage was actually from inside the lodge. The wet camera was the lodge entrance and the dry camera was on top of the lodge. I was very much hoping to see inside the lodge! However, if construction keeps going the way it is, that top camera may soon find itself inside the lodge, but it would be very hard to get an SD card out of it at that point.
posted by hydropsyche at 2:58 PM on January 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
This may not be the best Beaver experience, but all in all a pretty good beaver experience.
posted by susiswimmer at 9:34 PM on January 25, 2022
posted by susiswimmer at 9:34 PM on January 25, 2022
So industrious! I want to make little hard hats for all of them.
posted by xedrik at 10:54 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by xedrik at 10:54 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
We have had great luck with game cameras. Urban beavers have to deal with a lot of damage to their dams from human activity and flashy urban stormflow, so the nightly maintenance is often extensive. We also get a lot of other wildlife on the cams, using the beaver dams for their own purposes, including otters (in the middle of Atlanta!), fox, coyote, lots of deer, blue herons, ducks, and the occasional turtle.
OMG MeFi Projects is right there, hydropsyche. Tell us all about the Atlanta beavers!
posted by deludingmyself at 9:00 PM on February 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
OMG MeFi Projects is right there, hydropsyche. Tell us all about the Atlanta beavers!
posted by deludingmyself at 9:00 PM on February 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
From (local) public radio a few years ago
posted by hydropsyche at 5:16 AM on February 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 5:16 AM on February 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Fantastic.
posted by deludingmyself at 6:46 AM on February 19, 2022
posted by deludingmyself at 6:46 AM on February 19, 2022
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