February 2022
Update on the New Location of Bronson Creek
In August of last year our neighbors on the other side of the wetlands installed a Beaver Deceiver in order to lower the water level in their park-like area. Then, in September they added a second Beaver Deceiver-like device to send some water into the new wetland area. This photo shows the second device. To install this device they dug a trench, put plastic pipe in the trench and covered the pipe. This action weakened the berm that kept the water out of the new wetlands. The blue arrows show where water is now flowing into the new wetlands, bypassing the plastic pipe. Perhaps the digging that they did made it easier for the high water to wash away the mud that was covering the plastic pipe.
The image below is the current Google Maps satellite view of the wetlands just south of our townhomes. The above photo was taken at the place marked with the red X. Most of the water is now flowing thru the wetlands as shown by the yellow arrows. Some water continues to flow thru the old creek (blue arrows). But it looks like more water will be flowing thru the new wetlands. It seems like this change in the flow of water is good for the new wetlands.
Beaver Activity
This is the view from our upstairs bedroom window. The tree tipped over last year but continued to live. Originally there were three trunks. Each morning in January we would get up and look out at this tree and find more of it gone. Fresh wood chips would show us where the beaver had been working.
The beaver is amazingly clean. Small branches would vanish. Then larger branches. No mess is left behind except for wood chips and even the chips seem to get cleaned up.
A close-up show where the beaver made a cut to bring the higher portions of the tree into easy access. If this work had been done with an axe or a chain saw it would have been very noisy. The beaver has done this work without us hearing it.
With portions of the tree disappearing every night we were curious where the wood was going. I found some pieces of the tree in the creek. All of the bark has been eaten making the fresh-cut wood easy to spot. Beavers are on a high fiber diet.
More Native Plants in the Wetlands
On my walk thru the wetland on February 14 I noticed that native plants had recently been added near the water. In the photo the yellow arrows point to some of these new plants. I found new plants near the water all along the homes. I did not see new plants along the townhomes.
Four days later a crew of 10 planters worked all day planting along the townhomes and in the new wetlands. In previous years the spring crews were not this large. Thousands of new plants are now in the wetlands.
In addition to the crew of at least 10 on our side of the wetlands there were additional planters working on the south side of the wetlands.
Planting is not easy work.
Each shrub is put into a hole made with the shovel.
Then the hole is closed by stepping next to it.
Photos of shrubs that have just been planted. I recognize the Oregon grape but the others plants remain a mystery to me. Eventually, they will have blossoms and leaves making them easier to identify.
In two areas along the rock wall some of the new plants were given protection. Two years ago in this area a row of Oregon grape was planted. It quickly vanished. Last year in this area a row of native plants was planted with orange tape marking each plant. Those plants also quickly vanished. Some of the plants that vanished were treated with herbicide, leaving circles of death around each dead plant. Other plants were pulled up and left nearby.
As a mater of curiosity I have set up a trail cam in this area so that we can see the wildlife and, perhaps, other strange things that happen.
This Oregon grape was planted in the townhomes area two years ago. We see the flowers forming, a sign of spring.
Moss and two different types of lichen. Moss and lichen do not have roots. They get their water from rain, fog and mist. Winter is a good time for these plants because they get the water they need along with more sunlight because other plants have lost their leaves.
From my deck I have enjoyed watching the cattails on sunny winter days. When there is no wind the sun dries out some of the seeds and circulating air currents take small fluffs of seeds slowly up into the sky. These seeds will drift past me on my deck, over the house and down Aberdeen Drive. Some people have noticed these seeds and wondered if they might be from cottonwood trees. No, this is not the time for cottonwood seeds. We have more cattails this year than in any previous year.