Big Bears and Little Ducklings - UPDATE July 17, 2024
Snowball and Cupcake
Snowball in tree
Snowball in tree
With bigger bears coming in now after mating season, little yearling Snowball and her brothers Twinkie and Cupcake get their food at the base of a big white pine they can run up for refuge. The picture is of Snowball and Cupcake, and the bear out on a limb is Snowball.
Mallard w/duckling
Mallard w/duckling
But oddly, when a mallard and her duckling came walking out of the bushes toward a fairly big bear, the bear edged away. The couple kept coming. The bear moved off into the bushes. The mother and duckling shortly turned away to calmly walk back toward the lake. It was surprising, but I’ve seen a bear run when a butterfly landed on its back, so you never know.
Twinkie decided to dine away from the white pine, stuffing himself with white clover leaves.
Twinkie eating clover
Twinkie eating clover
25-year-old RC paid a visit to show how much white she has on her face. The bright white on the top of her neck is just glare from the sun, though. To complete the family sighting, her son River also made an appearance as a yearling who has grown fast.
It’s nice to see a good number of bears with rapidly declining testosterone levels eating mostly without strife unless Spanky is in their midst. This special needs bear is a terror, going ferociously after bear after bear, most of them larger than himself. He has a hard time recognizing danger, but the bears recognize him as danger. Even so, the confrontation often gets resolved when the fleeing bear whirls and faces him, creating a standoff that is tense until the bears mutually back down and both edge away from the other.
River son of RC
River son of RC
RC at 25
RC at 25
Always excitement. The Black Bear Field Study Course group is ecstatic at what they are seeing. Starting with different views of bears, one lady is here to get over her fear, which she quickly shed as she met bear after bear and is coming to a satisfyingly comfortable view. Others are here to advance and confirm their more trusting views. It’s good to see people seeing so much, learning so much, and showing love for bears. That is part of why I so look forward to each course.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center