Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Tour Blog

We offer an exceptional fly-in lodge for Grizzly Bear Watching and Whale Watching in British Columbia.

Learn about What’s happening at the Lodge, view our British Columbia’s Wildlife Report, read our Grizzly Bear Watching Blog and Whale Watching Blog. Learn more about a Day on the River Blog, see Our Tour Guide’s Photos & Blog and  Photos from Our Guests.

Bald eagle rescue 3 of 3

Bald Eagle freedomBald eagle

 Once the eagle was as dry as we could get it without doing damage we proceeded to the nearest beach. Once out of the boat with the eagle we placed it on the shore above the high tide mark. It was interesting because the eagle did not fight our care. Even once it was unwrapped on the shore it did not try to claw or bite likely because it was to exhausted and only wanted to be dry and out of the water.  The good news is that I returned to the area several days later and there was no sign of the eagle, eagle feathers or carcass on the beach which tells me it recovered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bald eagle rescue 1 of 3

Bald EagleBald Eagle

George and family from Hampshire England visited us in July this year and provided this series of photos. We were on a whale watching trip and had an excellent day but were still trying to find an eagle feeding. In the back of Parsons Bay a commercial crab fishing boat flagged us down and said that there was an eagle in the water that they could not reach because their boat was to high. Eagles often swim so we went to take a look and this one was in trouble. We came along side and used a towel to reach down and wrap the eagle before lifting it in to the boat. Having never done this I took advice from all on board and we dried the eagle with towels and paper towels…

 

 

 

 

Grizzly Bear cubs finding

Grizzly cubs and mother

From our position in the viewing stands it was not hard to determine why the cubs were searching. Mother was the goal but more important is the food that they hope she will share. Often the mothers will fish in the deep water because they can pick up dead salmon off the bottom with little effort or waste of calories and also it is harder for the cubs to fight for the salmon while they are swimming.

 

 

 

Grizzly Bear cubs searching

Grizzly cubs looking

Below the viewing stands (after August 24th ) we have two grizzly bear cubs swimming in the morning sun. The stands overlook the natural river as well as the entrance to the man-made spawning channel. These two cubs are not lost but rather on a mission. See tomorrow…

 

 

 

What is the Grizzly looking at? 1 of 2

Grizzly in sedge grass

Prior to August 25th the grizzly bear tours from the lodge view bears in Knight Inlet’s Glendale River estuary. The viewing is from a 5.5 meter (yard) flat bottom skiff, which allows use to move up the river as the tide rises (see Nov. 27th posting). The advantage of the early season tours is that you are at eye level with the grizzlies as this photo shows. What you must realize is the sedge grass this bear is eating is at least a meter (three feet) high so this is not a cub. What is it looking at? See tomorrow’s post….

 

 

 

Also Whale Watching 2 of 3

Humpback whale feeding

Clearer, same ducks in the water and a mouth full. Humpbacks will feed on krill and various kinds of small, shoaling fish such as herring (check out the mouth) and mackerel. They may eat up to 1,400 kg (3,000 lbs.) of food a day. As the mouth closes the whale will press down with its tongue forcing all water out through baleen plates. These baleen plates hang in row from each side of the upper jaw. This traps the herring / lunch inside.

 

 

Also Whale Watching 1 of 3

Humpback whales

A little more interesting than deer on the beach is a humpback whale lunge feeding on a herring ball. This is why your guide is always looking for herring balls. (See September 25th posting) At first I thought that this photo taken by Glen (a fellow guide) was a little out of focus until I realized that was water running off the whales back. Better tomorrow…

 

 

 

While Whale Watching 2 of 2

Deer eat seaweed

More interesting than a deer in mid-jump is the fact that it was eating seaweed. Using Google I found an article that seems to explain “Deer will eat seaweed if forced to the beach by snow, but it isn’t very nutritious or digestible and, under this circumstance, probably indicates they are in danger of starvation.”. This fits with the fact that these deer were on a small rocky tree covered island. The trees were evergreen and therefore not eatable, grass was replaced by lichen, which I saw the deer eating, and on all the deer on could see their ribs. Only part not making any sense was that the small island was separated from a large island with fields of grass by a narrow (40 meters/ yards) channel that deer swam to get to the island why didn’t they leave?