Selected from this week’s report to park staff:
The beavers’ effect on local water levels is quite evident. While lower Barnyard Run used to be the reach of sketchy high water, the knee- and hip-deep stuff is now at the beginning of the boardwalk. Box #2 used to be located at the edge of the channel, and now it’s surrounded by water.
We had some ice to break through in the shallows around #1 and #3.
Box #1 is up to 12 Hooded Merganser eggs, so we would expect incubation to begin this week. Box #13 has a new nest with 3 HM eggs.
Dormant season feeders observed: 14 Green-winged Teal, 4 Northern Shoveler, 2 Gadwall
Water gauge: 0.28
You can just see in this image that the water has risen so that it is lapping the bottom edge of the side rail of the boardwalk. Another six inches and the trail will be awash.