Beaver Pond, Savanna Portage State Park, Minnesota
During a little hike in the afternoon around this pond with the promising name ’Beaver Pond’ we discovered that it had indeed two beaver lodges. North American Beavers are mostly active at night and so I came back later in the evening with tripod and long lens.
I expected to find the pond mostly in the shade already but luckily there was a gap in the trees and the setting sun still illuminated at least part of the pond. The first image was made ten minutes before some action began and you can see that this was an ideal habitat for the largest rodent in North America.
North American Beaver
While waiting and enjoying the warm light suddenly the first beaver just showed up in the middle of the pond, swam a few circles, and slapped its flat tail loud on the water. It was immediately aware of my presence, even if I was quite a bit away on an elevated point above the pond. He swam around and any time the sun hit its face or body I tried to make a few clicks. After the beaver figured out that I was not a threat for him it receded to the other side into the shade and between patches of water plants and started eating.
A little later I discovered a second beaver munching on plants but he light was fading rapidly as soon the sun disappeared behind the horizon.
The larger one of two beaver lodges at the pond. You can tell that this was built already some time ago and may have hosted several generations of North American Beavers. The lodge is plastered with mud and when it freezes during winter it is like concrete. A small hole for air is left on top of the lodge (source: Wikipedia)