"BLESS THE CURIOSITY OF YOUTH"

Beaver (North American) - 3 Photos

Sitting along a creek downstream, waiting to see and hopefully, photograph beavers swimming by on their way to work.

The first beaver that swam downstream was fairly large and took a side trip to the bank across from where I was sitting. A few clicks of the camera and he/she quickly retreated back into the water and swam off. The camera noise is not loud but except for the Belted Kingfisher emitting that telltale mechanical rattle in flights back and forth, there were no other sounds. So an unusual isolated noise was probably enough to make the beaver head to the water. Sometimes more ambient noise is better than silence.

The second beaver who came into view was much smaller, made no stops and swam past me. But then, a little way downstream, the beaver made a u turn, swam back and across the stream (Photo#1), turned and hovered in the water, directly in front of me.

It was with great trepidation that I raised the camera and took a few photos but this time not a flinch from the beaver. There was, however, an intense stare and a blink, another blink and another blink (Photo #2 & Photo #3). And even with a camera held between us, my heart melted. (You can just make out the shadow of the beaver's tail in the shallow water.)

And then it was a slow turn back into the mainstream of the creek, and the beaver continued on to join his/her work crew for the night. 

Being so much smaller, this was most likely a young beaver not yet seasoned in the ways of the world and people. And with the curiosity that comes with youth, my presence which hadn't been there all the other evenings the beaver had been passing through, was something or someone to check out. Curiosity was satisfied and knowledge processed. 

PHOTO #1

PHOTO #2

PHOTO #3