November 4th. Foggy morn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beavers have started on their second large trailside tree of the season.

 

November 8th. Beavers continue to chip away. The tree should fall soon, probably blocking the trail.

 

Recent rains have swollen a brook near the Route 85 trailhead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 9th. More progress on the beaver tree.

 

Clouds parting after three days of drizzle.

 

More water flowing in the little brook today.

 

 

 

November 11th. Weathered Baltimore Oriole nests stand out now that the leaves are down.

 

November 12th. Remarkably, the beaver tree (a maple I believe) still stands, though there's little wood left to support it. The beavers seem to work on it nighly, but have also been taking out some smaller trees of roughly 2" diameter - carting them away to the food cache they're building beside their lodge.

 

November 14th. The beaver tree is still standing, barely.

 

Freshly cut branches in the water near the active lodge will serve as the beavers' winter food supply, much of it accessible in the flowing water under winter's ice.

 

November 15th. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) growing on an abandoned beaver lodge.

 

Ferns stood out on a dark and rainy day. With temps in the low 60s, Spring Peeper frogs (Hyla crucifer) were calling.

 

 

 

November 18th. Still lots of geese around most mornings.

 

Still standing, though even less wood supports the tree.

 

 

 

November 26th. Frosted Mullein (Verbascum thapsis) and oak leaves

 

 

 

White Oak (Quercus alba).

 

Yarrow (Achillea millifolium).

 

Alder (Alnus sp.) "strobiles" persist through the winter.

 

American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea). ID thanks to Mike Krampitz.

 

Raymond Brook high water at the marsh outlet after yesterday's warm rain.

 

November 27th. Thanksgiving. Distant hawks at dawn.

 

December 4th. Beavers were back at work on this tree after ignoring it for more than two weeks.