plays. Meanwhile, the gregarious Muskrat at Secret Pond brought begging for treats to a whole new level. He would dance around in front of me while giving high pitched barking calls. In the first week of March, the Beavers’ schedule was starting to give me whiplash. They went from all being out in the afternoon, to none coming out, and then to all being out again. By March 7, very low
temperatures put a thick sheet of ice on the ponds. Even the inflow to Julia gets her Secret Pond froze sweet potato up tight. I broke a large hole in the ice right beneath the canopy and only minutes later I was greeted by Tippy. Even though she hadn’t seen me in a couple of weeks, she had no anxiety at all about climbing out onto our rickety dock and standing before me. It reminded me of five years earlier when she and her three litter mates did something similar on the shore of the very same pond. She was more than 10 times the size now, but just as good natured. She happily accepted a sweet potato and then plunged back under the ice. In her wake both yearlings made appearances in quick succession. They grabbed apple halves from the dock and then quickly rolled back
under the ice in a seal-like manner. When there is little open water, Beavers tend to show a lot more trepidation about emerging from the ice. It’s not as if there could be a Polar Bear waiting at the rim, but they don’t take any chances and dive at the slightest noise or shadow of movement. Over the next week, the weather continued oscillating between winter-like and spring-like conditions. The ice cover on the pond waxed and waned in response. And then on March 16, a monster of a nor’easter blew in and gave us a record breaking 36 inches of snow in a 24-hour period. The world of humans came nearly to a halt. Most animals became marooned in place and/or were thrust into emergency survival mode. Of course, the Beavers are prepared for events like this and as long as their pond is intact and they have a food cache to draw from, they are all set. On the day of the storm I was able to visit the Beaver ponds several times, but on the morning after, it took several hours just to break the trail to the ponds. Down by Secret Pond, the foot path seemed more like a tunnel. The lower layers of snow on top of the ponds had compressed into deep slush and that’s what I had to shovel through to get to the ice. Shortly after clearing the ice hole next
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Products and services may not be available in all states. Terms, conditions and eligibility requirements will apply. Life insurance and annuity products are issued through American National Insurance Company of New York, Glenmont, New York; or Farm Family Life Insurance Company, Glenmont, New York. Property and casualty products and services available throughTerms, conditions and eligibility requirements will apply. Life insurance Products and services may notare bemade available in all states. 93661 Farm Family Casualty Insurance Company, Glenmont, New York or United Farm Family Insurance Company, Glenmont, New York. Insurance Company of New York, Glenmont, New York; or Farm and annuity products are issued through American National Family Life Insurance Company, Glenmont, New York. Property and casualty products and services are made available through
239 Academy Street Boonville, NY 13309-1329
45 93661