Beaver damage at Montrose Dunes (click to see the larger version)

You may have never seen a Beaver at Montrose but you’ve almost certainly noticed the damage they’ve done if you’ve been to the Dunes. It’s hard to miss. Many of the willows along the shore at the east end of the beach have been gnawed to stumps by the busy rodents. Birders like checking these willows because they’re the first line of trees migrating warblers and other passerines encounter at Montrose during fall migration. Beavers are interesting animals but we’d hate to lose the beach willows as a migrant trap. The photo shows the damage I’m referring to.