More Bears:)

Mama and her three babies

I almost didn't go bear watching this evening because it was cold and rainy.   But, since time is short I bundled up and headed to the glacier.  I had not been there five minutes when the sow and her three cubs appeared.  So awesome!!!!!    This group was featured in the Juneau Empire last week so people have been out watching for them.  After a few minutes, the three cubs climbed up a tree - really fun to watch!

Tree climbing

One of the rangers there this evening explained how they are trying to keep the bears and the people safe by educating the humans.  They want the bears to stay on the paths under the elevated walkways and the people to stay on the walkways.  When the bears venture where they aren't wanted, the rangers wave their hats and tell them "no".   They did this to the mother bear a couple of times this evening so she would not walk on the main "people" paths.  They estimate these cubs as being about six or seven months old.

Porcupine

Talking to the bears.

When we were leaving, there was a huge porcupine in the parking lot.  We steered clear and it walked off into the woods.

Rainy and cold at the glacier this evening.

I feel so lucky to have seen these bears tonight!!!  It was worth every raindrop!  Pretty exciting day I have had:)

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.