Birds and Beavers on Laurel Creek

Trip Leader: Elizabeth Winstead (ecwinstead@gmail.com) and Virginia Holsworth (LaurelCreekBeavers@gmail.com)
Location: Laurel Creek
Date: Saturday, April 27
Description: Google map will be sent out prior to walk
Extra:  Raffle of book on beavers, and beaver hat

Beavers are a keystone species, engineering wetland habitats for themselves that also benefits fish, amphibians, and mammals like otters and muskrats. The water, food, and shelter found in beavers' riparian habitats are among the many benefits to birds. Beaver dams are known to double the probability of willow flycatchers and the density of song sparrows compared to areas without beavers. The story of the Fairfield beavers is a story of how people can coexist with beavers in an urban setting.
First we will watch the beavers near sunrise for about an hour and then bird the creek that they have dams on. Virginia Holsworth is the admin of the Laurel Creek Beavers Facebook page, and she has led beaver field trips for schools, scouts, and others. She will help us find signs of the beavers (old dams, new dams, slides, chews, etc.) and give the latest updates on these beavers. 
Trip Size: 12 participants max
Fee: $100
Accessibility: Distance: 2 miles
Trail Type: level, unpaved trail
Facilities: There are no facilities! Please visit gas station for a bathroom prior to walk.
Registration will open at 1 pm on Wednesday, February 28 and it will close at 11pm on Monday, April 22.