"Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5

Saturday, July 31, 2010

BEAR SIGHTING!!!!


Salmon
The salmon have started spawning which means more bear activity in the area.  Two years ago I saw a bear out near the Mendenhall Glacier so I have been hanging out there quite a bit the last few days in hopes of seeing one before I leave next week.  There was also a picture in the local paper this week of a mother bear and her three cubs walking across the road out by the glacier.  So neat!!!

Bear Poop!!!
Thursday evening  I was not successful and I didn't see anything but a porcupine up in a tree.  There was a little excitement for a bit with people wondering if it was a bear cub but no such luck.  I did meet several people out there - Kathleen and Tim live in Douglas not too far from me and also a pharmacy student here from Indiana trying to see a bear before she left early this morning.  Friday night I went out a little later (after I went to the free music in the park) and there was the same group.  I saw one bear as it was leaving.  Kathleen said I had missed most of the action as they had seen several bears.  We did walk on a trail in hopes of seeing the mama and cubs but just saw evidence that they had been there!!!
Fising for a lens cap:)

Tim lost his lens cap in the stream so there was a "fishing expedition" as well.  Successful!

Sarah said early morning was also a good time to see bears so I headed out to the glacier early this morning (Saturday) to see if I had better luck.  There were already a couple of people out - and Tim showed up a few minutes later. After a short while, we saw a bear!  This one is about four years old and has a blue tag in its ear.   It was tagged as a cub - its mother was a "garbage dump" bear.  This one and its sibling were tagged and relocated.

Bear Sighting!!  Notice the blue tag in its ear.

Scratching its head!!
We watched it for a while until it disappeared.  A little later it came back and was right under the walkway we were standing on.  It stood up and started rubbing its head on the walkway.  A couple minutes later, it started looking up at us - I have never been so close to a bear!!!  Within a few seconds it had climbed a tree and was on the decking with us:):)  Whoops!  It was in the middle of the group - the man on my side and I backed around the corner where it couldn't see us and we got out of there!!!  One of the men on the other side was a park ranger and started yelling at it and scared it off the bridge.  The ranger said this was really unusual behavior and that they would have to keep their eye on this one.  He thought it looked like the bear was looking for food and that maybe someone had fed it.

After this excitement, I decided it was time for me to head back home.  Guess who I saw on the way?

Same bear!!!  I saw the blue tag.

Same bear walking across an open field and I stopped the car to take a picture - I saw the blue tag so knew it was the same bear.  They really move fast as I saw this morning.
I'll put up a couple more pictures:):)   This all happened before 8:00 a.m. this morning!!!  Wonder what is in store for the rest of the day???

Walking away from the stream.
Fishing - the salmon come through this screen so they can count them.
This is new this year.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Holy mackerel, Peggy! What an amazing experience and what pictures!!! How big would you say it was in relation to you? I'm so glad you got to see one before you leave!

Peggy K in NC said...

Sounds like you "bearly" survived the morning! What else is in store for you I shudder to think!

Anonymous said...

HOLY SALMON! (I just had to one-up the PIPSQUEAK, you know.) This is SOOOOOOOOOO neat, and I'm SO glad you got to SEE A BEAR before you left. I would LOVE to take a trip to Alaska sometime. I've always wanted to, but now I REALLY want to, having seen all of your adventures. Of course, I'd be the IDIOT feeding the bears, making them CAUSE PROBLEMS for everybody else. :o)

I just got back from Lincoln, a day of brunch (fixed by my niece, Naomi, DELICIOUS) and shopping, with Naomi and Vickie. Tonight I've got to go to a retirement party, so I'd better get with it!

I can't believe your trip is almost over. What a great time you've had. :o)

Love,
Annette

Anonymous said...

Wonderful pics.... and WOW, what excitement!!! So glad you got to see a bear, along with the other pretty things you have seen in ALASKA! I can't believe how quickly your trip has flown. Thanks for the sharing the excitement with us!

Mucho love-isimo,
~ Christa

Anonymous said...

how are you?

Awesome post, just want to say thanks for the share

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Anonymous said...

Hello

Can I link to this post please?

Anonymous said...
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