Maxwell Lake on a Snowy October Day

The first photo was taken this afternoon just after I gave the beavers yet another load of aspen branches. I've lost count but I think that's number 16 for this year. I marvel at how they tow off all those branches and pack them into a compact food cache pile at their lodge. This evening there were 3 beavers there waiting, and even me tossing the branches into the lake didn't dissuade them.

One big beaver couldn't wait. A few seconds after the lake photo was taken, it dragged a good sized branch down to the lake (second photo) and towed it off. Free food is great, but a busy beaver doesn't wait if the load is a little late. The instinct to store food is very strong. The colony members will keep storing food until the lake freezes over and they are locked into their winter routine by a shell of impenetrable ice.