Tomorrow, as part of National Volunteer Appreciation Week, we celebrate the powerful team of volunteers 
Lily at her den - 3/24/10who do so much to carry out our mission for bears. Go to bear.org, the Live Cameras tab, and scroll down and click on Special Events. Every hour on the hour from 8 until 2 PM, there will be a 10-minute broadcast on a different topic about the volunteers. Donna and I get to be part of the 9 AM broadcast (bear time). As volunteers ourselves, Donna and I feel appreciated, and we feel deep appreciation to be part of such a wonderful mission for bears.
Eastern ChipmunkThere is trouble on the internet, not within our system; but some worldwide connections are not being made and are leaving some people unable to connect to bear.org or connect with emails. I hope it is fixed by tomorrow.
Today was a day working on pictures for the upper walls. Two pictures of Lily that brought back memories had to be included here. One shows Lily emerging from the den that contained 2-month-old Hope. For the other, Lily sat where the light showed the details of her fur and completely ignored me as I lay down a few feet away and clicked. 
Lily listening - 5/23/14She was listening to something and holding her mouth slightly open to use her vomeronasal organ. I look forward to seeing her this summer and perhaps see which male she pairs with this year. At this moment, she is undoubtedly in her den with her three yearlings Frankie, Francis, and Frannie that will leave her when she is ready to mate in late May.
Speaking of bears at dens, a video popped up and started playing that showed a den scene from 2002 with Blackheart and her newborn cubs Braveheart, Valiant, and Shylow. The BBC was there, so we had some extra technology to let us see Blackheart’s cubs as in this 3-minute clip.
http://www.bear.org/website/live-cameras/videos/other.html
Out the window, chipmunks are coming to the table, so to speak, filling their cheeks with sunflower seed hearts to store in their burrows. I suspect newborn chipmunks will share them before they emerge 3/4 grown.
Snow is melting as temperatures shift to above average, 48°F today.
Thank you volunteers and thank you Lily Fans for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.