Irene stole our pond

Yesterday, Sunday – the day Irene hit – after I went out to see just how flooded the brook was, I ventured down the shared driveway to the view of the pond. I was wondering just how huge it would look with all the rain.

Pretty huge, was the answer.
Today, the pond is gone.
Evidently, the force of the flood waters knocked out the beaver dam. So long, pond!
This has happened before, although not so dramatically or quickly. Eventually the beavers, like the humans, rebuild critical infrastructure.
Today, the newly-created mudflats had a visitor. I got into quite an argument with the Lumix about this.

“You want me to focus on those stems of grass? OK.”

Oh, for heaven’s sake. Focus on the BIRD, you fool.

GOTCHA! Yellow beak, not-yellow-legs = great egret. We watched it hunt for a while, and then made our way back down the Vermont Great Lakes, otherwise known as, The Driveway.


A red eft wriggled along the margin of the driveway pond.
By the way, I have no idea what the delay factor will be in publishing this post. (I am THRILLED to report we have power again, but we still don’t have the interwebs.) UPDATE! We have the interwebs!

stalking the wild red eft

Just another day in paradise. This will be a short, disjointed post, with bonus video footage at the end. Let’s get moving on it. First, here’s what a certain jack-in-the-pulpit is up to today:


Next up, a gratuitous cattail shot.


The enslaved plants are garden is doing well – in fact, Kevin is expanding it:

OK, as promised, video footage. This is a red eft, going about his/her business.