A Quiet Day - UPDATE June 5, 2024
Bald eagle
The day started with only one bear, Lucy’s yearling Leilani all alone, re-confirming family break-up. I saw her well enough to identify her but not long enough to grab a camera.
Red fox shy female
Red fox shy female
With no bears in view, I got my first look at a fox in weeks. It was the shy female posing motionless letting me click a picture of shedding like I’ve not seen before. It looks like a blanket of winter fur over her back with short summer fur on her legs, still with her bushy winter tail that she probably used to keep her face warm when she curled up in the snow. She gave me the good picture opportunity and then disappeared into the brush, making we wonder if she would reappear if I put a meat treat out for her. I went big with a couple pounds of chicken dark meat with no bones.
Bald eagle pair
Bald eagle pair
Before I could settle down, two adult eagles found the treat, undoubtedly the pair we were seeing a lot before the bears came. Do they fly over, high up and unnoticed able to look at the places we’ve left treats? The one flying in is the nearest one in the picture of them together. The farther one already has a piece of the meat in his or her beak. Seeing them like this is a treat for me.
The rest of the day was juvenile bears appearing for short times but no adults except 9-year-old Spanky. I suspect the adults are mostly off finding mates now in mating season.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
