Snowball, a new visitor, and more - UPDATE October 5, 2024
Kunta
3-year-old Andrea’s yearling daughter Snowball is always good to see, and she started off this day right with her early morning visit. Later, I was almost confused when Kimani’s male cub Kunta showed up with a similar big brown patch on the back of each ear and a light face, but it wasn’t Snowball, and he was a welcome guest himself, especially when he looked at the camera with this cute expression.
Coyote
Coyote
Then there was the excitement of a new visitor, a coyote. I haven’t seen a coyote anywhere for over a year or maybe two. And there was one not far out the window not noticing me as he dug at something, frequently looked around to check for safety, and unknowingly posed for pictures that will let me identify him or her if he or she ever shows up again. It was looking up—probably at the crows and ravens that constantly circle, land, groom, and flock down to clean up bear leftover food.
Ravens
Ravens
High up in a white pine, I liked seeing the friendly, maybe even loving interactions of a pair of ravens. It is not mating season but they were touching bills together, probably saying I am still your mate and I love you.
Yellow-rumped warbler female
Yellow-rumped warbler female
Yellow-rumped warblers are still in the area, and this first winter plumage female sat nicely for a quick picture in good light.
Trumpeter swans
Trumpeter swans
I never know what I’m going to see on Woods Lake—mallards, wood ducks, beavers, muskrats, eagles diving toward mallards and making them dive, or what. A couple days ago an eagle swooped down on a group of six ducks, and I didn’t know they could dive so well. They all disappeared under the water and were safe. After more seconds than I thought, these ducks that usually don’t dive popped up just fine. Yesterday, the lake treat of the day was a family of trumpeter swans that are probably passing through in migration. Usually, it is just a pair of swans eating quite near the beaver lodge. Today they passed by closer than usual—two adults and a grayish juvenile.
Canoe by Beaver Lodge 8-20-24
Canoe by Beaver Lodge 8-20-24
The beaver lodge across the lake is something I can’t help snapping a picture of, especially in the morning when different light or smooth reflective water give different looks. Mornings before breakfast is when black bear field course participants look for wildlife as they canoe on calm water like this twosome that is paddling slowly by the beaver lodge.
I feel thankful and fortunate to be able to work in this setting with bears and wildlife of many kinds.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
