Thornton Creek Park Six Wildlife Report - Ruth Williams

Park Six Beaver and Wooducks in same shot!
ph credit - Don MacCall

Wildlife is thriving at Thornton creek Park Six, just downstream from Northgate.

Painted Turtle at Park Six
ph credit - Don MacCall

Ruth Williams, Thornton Creek Alliance vice president and park steward, reports on the latest wildlife activities there. 

Ruth Williams - Park Six Steward and TCA VP
ph credit - Janet Way

Park Six is an amazing wildlife refuge which is being redesigned by beavers. Since the beavers arrived and built dams, ponds and lodges, the wildlife variety and numbers have grown exponentially.

This evening at the beaver pond there was a lot of activity.  I saw at least
four beavers, including a juvenile.  Sometimes they were up on the bank
eating greens.  I am pleased to report that they like knotweed.  It was
great to see so many of the neighbors coming out to enjoy the show.  Also in
evidence were a hummingbird and a mallard with five very small babies.

One neighbor reported he is certain the beavers have built a bank lodge.  He
showed me a site where he says he has seen them coming and going several
times.  This means the lodge is under, or nearly under, the apartment
parking lot.  Is it possible this could cause a serious sag?  The site is a
little difficult to describe.  I could get a picture one day soon or meet
someone there and point it out.

The beavers have also begun a dam at that same site as last year:  right at
the NW corner of the intersection of 8th Ave. NE and NE 105th St.

Ruth

Song Sparrow at Thornton Creek Park Six
ph Credit - Don MacCall