Adolescent Tripod
Always a major part of the bear action here, play was the goal of this young adult male (on the bottom) letting himself be taken down by an adolescent male. In that position, the young adult showed the furry V of his rear instep that helps identify tracks from black bears where they overlap with grizzlies that don’t have that V. When the playful adolescent wore out the young adult, he went on to two other young males to initiate more play before cooling off in the tub, giving interesting insights into their minds.
 Lily & Hope's den |
 Lily w/ Hope - 2010 |
On the pontoon ride today, the visit to Lily and Hope’s den of 2010 was especially memorable. The picture Lorie took of the den today includes the mossy log that was featured in this classic picture taken by a BBC videographer on March 27, 2010. Perky Hope was sitting and watching Lily who was lying on her back with a playful look on her face. Lily and Hope were just starting to go outside the den. The log runs along the ground with the root starting at the entrance to their den, extending back to the mossy part where the photo was taken.
 Bald eaglet by nest |
 Bald eaglet |
Today was the first time that the last Black Bear Field Study Course of the year got to see a bald eaglet still at the nest. As we floated into the nearby bay, we heard the two eaglets call to each other or to their parents. One was next to the nest and the other was on a branch a couple hundred feet away by the shore. Neither one seemed to pay any attention to our quiet movements. They see kayakers and boats a lot. The nest tree is near the shore.
 Loon |
 Loon swimming underwater |
A surprise was seeing a loon swim by underwater and calmly emerge nearby. Cameras clicked.
Red maple
Red maples, the earliest trees to show their fall colors, are now adding a bit of their reds.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center