Another beaver has decided to spend the winter at our pond. We are not thrilled by the idea, largely because the habitat is so very unsuitable for these poor guys. It is marginal at best. There is little food, and the animal has a very small pond area, with shallow water, in which to live. It seems to have taken over the bank burrow from the last beaver, and it is having to venture further afield to find food. It has taken down a few self seeded poplars, which is not a big deal for us, and in fact, may be doing us a favour, for they were crowding out other trees, mainly conifers.

However, some unkind souls have tried to break the beaver's dam. This is wilfull damage and demonstrates a vast ignorance of the animal and its ecology. Not that they probably care about that. What motivates them to do this, I don't know, but they have no right to interfere. Our new bridge is high enough off the ground that any residual flooding that might occur in spring will be insignificant. Furthermore, there is a large spillway now that will carry the water away. Soon, the pond will freeze, the beaver will remain below, provided it has enough food, and in spring we will see what happens.