I went out today knowing I wouldn’t see many bears as It was high tide & hot out.I did find this one Bruin munching away happily however.Whenever he bent down to eat,he’d cast a eye over at me.I don’t recognize him so assume we do not know each other?
He’s eating a patch of delicious Sea Asparagus & maybe was suspicious of me wanting to take it all for myself! They do sell it as a seasonal treat down at the grocery store!
I went into Fortune Channel looking for bears.With it being high tide & hot I wasn’t sure any would be out? I was pleasantly surprised to find not one but two grazing in a small meadow! I suspect the bear above is a female as she was keeping a eye on the other bear (that I’m guessing was a male?)
Because I found her among some Buttercups,I am going to name her “Buttercup”.She has no distinguishing markings & the tall grass wasn’t any help in that regard. She moved into the shadows,so I moved on to that second bear.I could barely see him through the tall grass but he most certainly was over there! I poled my boat over to get a better look but by that time he had gone back into the forest! I could find him anywhere? The grass had to be 5 feet tall,so I thought he might of laid down & there was no way I was going to walk back there to check,so I just assumed that he had gone into the forest?
The sun went behind Meares island by this time which is always my cue to head back into town for the sunset.Said goodnight & thank you to “Buttercup”.
I had a great visit with Maggie Girl tonight! She’s always a joy to be around!
Both Romeo & Juliette greeted me as per usual tonight.Romeo at first with Juliette following 5 minutes later.We always meet at their rock which I jokingly call their “Throne”.Juliette always has to have the higher perch.Females eagles are much larger than the males & so usually are dominant. I always enjoy meeting with them! I talk to them for awhile & take some pictures.
They had not one but two interlopers tonight! One looked around 4 years old & the other looked 1 or 2 years old.I suspect they both were past years offspring? Both Romeo & Juliette complained loudly! If these two interlopers had not been their offspring they most likely would of been attacked! Both interlopers “inverted” several times exposing those powerful & deadly talons when Romeo or Juliette got too close! Much a do about nothing really.
I saw Juliette heading back over to their nest.I could hear several eaglets squawking for food upon her arrival!
Juliette likes this rock………& so do I,but she always takes off before I can get behind her to line up the sunset sky! I moved further away from her before coming in behind tonight & finally got some shots before she took off!
Juliette (for whatever reason),doesn’t like me getting near her when she’s on this certain rock? (the rock pictured above) I try to get behind her to get a nice silhouette with the setting sun but always flies off with me cursing profoundly! Tonight I went further away from her & managed to finally get some shots but as she she always does……flew off to this perch on this tree. She can be a fuss pot sometimes!
When I went out tonight,I knew there was a very good chance that I wouldn’t find any bears roaming around. The tide was high & it was hot out.The bears come down to the shore during low tide so as to get at the small crabs hiding under the rocks.Bears simply overturn the rocks & suck the scurrying crabs up! They can’t get at the rocks during high tide,so they usually go for a siesta during high tide & wait for the next low. The life of a bear is very dependant upon the tides! Plus with the heat,the bears stay in the coolness of the forest & wait till evening or night to come out.
Having said that,I usually find one or two out grazing on the grass.I went into Fortune Channel tonight looking for my furry friends & didn’t find a one anywhere! I searched for many miles! I turned my boat around & was heading back to Tofino. I had given up searching when I found a bear in the very last spot they normally are found! What a reprieve! Unfortunately my furry friend was in the shadows.I normally refrain from taking pictures of a black bear in the shade,but with him being the only volunteer I took what I was given. Contrast is low & the colours are not as vibrant! Notice how the ears are flipped back? It just means “I see you”.
Maggie was outside her territory in this sequence. She was met by another eagle who objected to her presence! The interlopers are usually escorted to the door.
The tide was running strong,so I was drifting fast.I had unknowingly drifted into another eagles territory. Eagles guard their territory like humans guard their properties. They can tell within a meter where their area boundary line is! I think they draw imaginary lines from one island to another?
Maggie came over to me & was greeted by the neighbouring eagle.The ruling eagle will usually fly in behind the interloper & escort it out of it’s territory.If the ruling eagle feels a stronger message needs to be sent, it will get closer.When this happens the interloper will usually invert to use it’s talons as weapons of defence. You can see Maggie inverting & being very vocal about it! Maggie was not injured in the encounter but was forced out of the ruling eagles territory!
I saw her partner “Moe” flying out to aid in her battle.He’s more the strong silent type. These territorial disputes are normally settled without injury.
Romeo is in the foreground.Juliette likes to have the higher perch!
When I first saw this bear,I thought it had been wounded? It had what I thought was a wound on it’s rear end? I now think it is some tree bark with some pitch on it.It must of sat on some sticky bark?
This is a 2 to 3 year old female.
I do not name every bear,only the ones that have identifiable markings! This bear has no markings & so…… no name.
When you get close to a bear & look into it’s eyes,you realize how human like they are!
Notice how this bears face is a tad wider around the jaw? Females have wider faces.Compare this shot close up to the one above.The one above is a male.A more slender face.
Romeo is the one on top.He has a more slender head.
Juliette really takes herself so seriously.She frowns at me all the time.
When I first met this older female bear in Gunner inlet, she ran off! I wondered why?She came back a few minutes later & thats when I saw a recent wound above her left eye.It probably smarts like heck! She settled down eating all the sweet Spring grass.Notice how the ears are flipped back.It means she’s keeping a eye on me.
A male bear was out looking for some afternoon delight but instead ended up munching away on some grass! Notice how the females ears are flipped backwards & the mouth is open.First signs of distress.It’s not mating season,so I knew he wasn’t going to be getting anything………. maybe a swipe in the face but she seemed way to polite for that.
She crossed a creek & he stayed on the other side.Whenever she grabbed a mouthful of grass,she’d always look over to make sure he was where she can see him….far away!
This is one of the largest females I have ever seen! A real sweetheart! Looks like she was just in the ocean.The dry fur is on top of her back.
I scared “LOVEY” when I first found her.She was munching away in some tall grass & didn’t see me.My boat made some noise when it touched the rocks & she jolted up eyes wide open!
While I was with those two other bears,this guy was also in the same bay cruising northward.
This is the female bear that wasn’t interested.She sure kept a eye on that amorous male however!
Tofino Photography 