The working aspect of this post has two meanings. First I am working and the only reason it can be classified as that is because I get paid, other than that it is just fun. The second one working is the humpback whale as it passes along the shore looking for more herring to fill it’s demand for food. Note the bar in the lower left corner of the photo is the metal bar on our boat which holds the radar. So yes the whale is close.
Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Viewing Blog: Monthly Archives: January 2017
Not Looking 2 of 2
Mission accomplished. This sub-adult grizzly passed directly beneath the viewing platform and received no complaints from my guests. It is not everyone that can say they were two meters (six feet) above a grizzly bear’s back and could have jumped onto the back (but only once).
Not Looking 1 of 2
Grizzly bears avoid direct eye contact as this may be perceived as a challenge or threat. This bear is walking toward our viewing stand and wants to pass close by so it avoids eye contact by looking down. It is aware of our presence but we are in a raised platform which makes the bear uncomfortable and it just wants to pass. As it does in the next post…
Photo Photographing a Bear 3 of 3
..fast forward to 9/2/2015 12:32 pm and our viewing is over and we have driven back to the landing to take our skiff back to the float to eat lunch. We had just parked our vehicle and were getting out to walk down the road when we had company. Back into the vehicle until Bella and her three cubs moved across the road and far enough along the beach until it was safe to complete our trip to the float. This took about fifteen minutes but the guests did not seem to mind. They thought it was interesting that we were delayed by grizzlies when we wanted to watch bears and again when we were through watching bears.
Hard to See
Just out of it’s nest this bald eagle was hard to spot sitting in a tree. Lacking the white head and tail feathers, which do not start to appear until their third year, they blend with the trees. Note that even the beak and talons are not yet the bright yellow of an adult.
Photo Photographing a Bear 2 of 3
Today’s and tomorrow’s posts are interesting and tied together. This post is when we are waiting for the lodge using the viewing stand to leave their viewing time so we can drive up to the stands. We are visited by a mother grizzly bear and three cubs on their way to the area of the stands to fish. We know this because we see them below the stands a little later. At the time of this photo the mother is in the background and the cubs are chewing on the tires of the white van. Time stamp on the photo 9/2/2015 9:29 am…..
More Impressive?
Steller sea lions are much more impressive than harbour seals in size, volume of their roars and of course smell. Some sea lions now live in the area all year but are only on a number of haul out sites in the spring and fall when migrating between California and Alaska.
Photo Photographing a Bear 1 of 3
Taking photos for the blog I try to give viewers an idea of what it is like on a tour from Grizzly Bear Lodge. In this case a phone used for photos which is becoming common. Also if you look into the water behind the bear it is not deep maybe this means we are close? Does the bear care?
Interesting Grizzly Visit 1 of 2
… However I did not reduce my zoom so missed part of the bear beneath the viewing platform. This grizzly was not concerned and never looked up as it was concentrating on the larger males fishing in the river about fifty meters (yards) away.
Taken for Granted?
Harbour seals are constantly seen on the rocks enjoying the sun and as a guide we forget that this is not a normal site for our guests. It is most often the first marine wildlife we view on a whale watching day. We make a point of stopping by the rocks that are used by the harbour seals as it gives a comparison for later in the day and tomorrow’s post…
