Wandering Beaver

I met a young beaver near the town dump, of all places. The stream there is broad and shallow and most un-beaverlike - I've only seen beaver in ponds or narrow streams that they plan to dam - so it was an odd and very unexpected meeting. I thought it was a muskrat at first glance and couldn't believe it was a beaver until I saw the tail. There is a slightly deeper pool right under a culvert, and I watched it swim around for a good quarter hour. They are unexpectedly graceful underwater.

The game warden told me that at this time of year the parental beavers toss the young ones out of the lodge to make room for the next litter of kits, so our friend here is probably house-hunting.

Good luck with the real estate, little beaver!