I went for a short walk along the river the other day, just to see how the area is changing with early spring. It’s still pretty quiet out there, not much happening at first glance, but once you slow down a bit, small details start to stand out.
What caught my eye this time were several trees that had clearly been cut down recently. Not by people, but by beavers. You can see it right away in the shape of the trunks and the wood chips scattered around. I didn’t see any animals, but the signs are fresh and there’s more of them than before.
It’s interesting to see how much impact they already have on this stretch of the river. Trees in different stages — some just started, some completely taken down. It makes the place feel more alive, even if everything still looks quite calm.
I’d like to come back here at some point and actually photograph a beaver, but for now, these traces are enough to keep me curious.
If you’ve ever spotted beaver — or signs of them — I’d be curious to hear where.
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Wonderful captures of the work of these beavers.
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Thank you! They really are busy little workers. Glad you liked the photos.
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We had to wrap the trees behind our backyard because of beavers. Funny, though, they went to the neighbor’s tree and stopped working on it. That last shot is amazing!
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Classic beaver move. I’ve noticed they go for barren, dying, or unstable trees, or cut strategically where they want to build a dam. And thank you for the kind words on that last shot.
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No beavers in Australia! Which make your photos all the more interesting. I did not know the beaver chewed down trees. What fierce teeth they must have.
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Yes! They cut down trees to build dams and lodges. They dam streams and create wetlands, basically reshaping entire landscapes.
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Amazing little creatures. They can create the base for a completely new wetland ecosystem!
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https://rosher.net/2026/04/02/signs-of-beaver/ :-)
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Thanks for sharing the link – and especially for including my profile in your beaver post. I really appreciate that. Your observations from the River Avon sound fascinating. Glad to connect with another beaver-spotter!
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I Duluth, we have a walking trail that’s along a “wild” (undeveloped) river. I’ve seen lots of beaver signs there, plus their lodge.
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That sounds like a wonderful trail. A beaver lodge is something I’d love to see in person, but for now I need to satisfy myself with cut-down logs and tooth marks. Thanks for sharing this!
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If there’s cut down trees, a lodge can’t be far away. Maybe sometime you’ll have to snoop around a bit.
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I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m near a spot with chewed trees. Sounds like a good excuse for a walk and some snooping around. 😊
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