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.

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Grizzlies on Log

The waiting paid off with a bonus – three first year cubs. As in all wildlife viewing patience is necessary.  Wildlife does not have a schedule they may have a routine but the time varies from day to day depending on the height of the tide or other bears in the area. As guest often say this is wildlife viewing not a zoo.

 

 

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Grizzly bear waiting

Not only do the guides and guests wait quietly for marine mammals to appear sometimes it is the grizzly bears waiting. When grizzly bear viewing on the Glendale River in the spring and summer we use a flat bottom skiff which allows us to move up the shallow river as the tide rises. With the motor off and the guide pulling the skiff we are quiet and on first seeing a bear we stop, move to the riverbank. On this day a grizzly came out onto a log so we sat and wait to see what would happen and tomorrow’s post will show you.

 

 

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Humpback whale lunging

Again sitting quietly in an area known as Bold Head we wait for the humpback whales to appear. We do cheat a little because the first thing we do is find a herring ball, which is located by the seagulls diving in the water. Parked near the herring we wait for the whales to come and feed. The feeding is a lunge as the whales come from beneath the herring with their mouth open to engulf the whole herring ball. More waiting tomorrow!

 

 

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orca close to boat

The orca / killer whales in the Grizzly Bear Lodge’s whale safari area are mostly resident or fish eaters although at times we encounter the transient or mammal eaters.  The northern resident orca are located in waters north of Campbell River on Vancouver Island and while the transient orca are more often found in BC coastal inlets. This is a female orca as indicated by the shorter dorsal fin. Sitting quietly while whale watching is the key to many interesting photos. Humpback whale tomorrow.

 

 

Large Male Grizzly Bear

Male Grizzly Bear

The lodge’s grizzly bear watching area in Knight Inlet contains a few large grizzlies.  Nick-named “boss bears” as they go were and when they want.  Although it is nice to see a larger grizzly it is not always the best thing for long-term viewing.  If a large bear is in the area of the lodge viewing stands it is often the only grizzly bear you may see.  The best is to have them make and appearance then move off to the surrounding forest, which is exactly what this bear is doing. Camera’s placed in the area of the stands have shown that many of the larger males do appear after the days viewing times are over.

 

 

Grizzlies PLAY Fighting

Grizzlies fighting

After August 25 our grizzly bear watching tours take place from the viewing stands.  The stands are located on the Glendale River, which empties into British Columbia’s Knight Inlet. The salmon have arrived and are in the river and there is lots of wildlife beside the bears.  Because of the abundance to salmon for food the grizzly bears often take a “time out” to play. These photos could have the captions: “Leave me alone” and a good right hook “Told you I used to box”.

 

 

Steller Sea Lions Pose for Guests

Stellar sea lions

Whale watching safari trips from the Grizzly Bear Lodge include more than humpback whales and orca.  The water-ways between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland abound in marine based wildlife: eagles, large variety of ducks and water fowl, white-sided dolphins, dall’s porpoise, harbour porpoise, harbour seals and of course stellar sea lions. A safari trip without viewing a majority of these is not considered a good day. These steller sea lions migrate between California and Alaska in the spring and fall and in the past few years some have made the area their year round residence.

 

 

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

The morning run up Knight Inlet on the grizzly bear tour is always interesting.  It is a spectral view, Grizzly Bear Lodge is located approximately 20 miles from the mouth, and the grizzly viewing area starts another 25 miles up the inlet, which is about 90 miles long. Eagles are abundant on the morning run this one being in the Glendale estuary the primary grizzly bear viewing area.  Eagles are not always in trees it is not uncommon to watch them pick up a fish from the water and then land on shore to eat the “catch of the day”. This bald eagle with talons open was coming in to catch a late breakfast.

 

 

Grizzly swim / play time

Grizzlies in river mouth

Some days the grizzly bear watching in July and early August are quite warm so it is unlikely this was a “bath” rather think back on a hot day that you may have experienced and add a heavy fur coat. They are in the Glendale River estuary, which is a mixture of fresh and salt water so their coat will not contain much salt when dry.  The sedge grass along the shore is the main reason for the grizzly bears to be in the area as the salmon to not appear until late August.

 

 

Grizzly Bears Snorkeling

Grizzly Bears Swimming

Grizzly bears are great swimmers and are commonly seen in the water in the river estuaries of BC’s Knight Inlet.  They swim so well that they have now migrated across Johnstone Strait to Vancouver Island and this is between one and a half to a two-mile swim.  The area biologists put radio collars on ten grizzly bears about twelve years ago and one of the bears crossed Knight Inlet five times. The two bears in this photo are swimming with the salmon in the Glendale River the site of the viewing stands Grizzly Bear Lodge uses every fall. They are looking for dead salmon that have drifted down the river to settle in a deeper pool.  It is easier to pick up these fish than chase others.