29 October 2007

Not often, even as someone lucky enough to live in grizzly country, do you get viewing like this. Simply amazing. As we sat watching in two cars - the guests and I in one - the biologists in the other - Apple emerged and began walking towards us along the road. Barely a few yards from she turned and headed up a steep slope onto a mossy bank. We sat and watched transfixed for the next hour or so as she snoozed and dozed, occasionally raising her head to look at us. After a long while she stood up again, pranced like a cowboy, rubbed her back on a low tree and then urinated. When she had decided we were still no threat to her she headed down the bank and within a few yards of our cars before heading back to the river. Simply riveting and a fine way to finish of a really good season.

28 October 2007

Two bears this morning for our new guests.

27 October 2007

Today was the first day of our annual grizzly bear summit, a gathering of bear biologists at our small ranch to discuss the future of the grizzly in BC and talk about the best way to help the bears prosper in the valley. Saw three grizzly bears on a shortish tour, including Apple, who gave us good viewing, and one bear in the distance at a full gallop.

26 October 2007

More lovely viewing today. We watched from a bridge over the river as a bear made his way right under us and out the other side, fishing as he walked along. For Martyn and Benita, who were leaving the following morning, it was a fine send-off.

25 October 2007

After a moderate day yesterday when our guests saw two bears, today was another stunner. Near the top of our river we watched for half an hour or so while a medium-sized bear (probably a female) made her way up the bank, slowly fishing as she went. Great views and we marveled again at the grizzly bear's amazing gait.

22 October 2007

Incredible experience today. Met a grizzly right in the middle of the road. When we first saw her - and it was definitely a her because we saw her pee - she was a few hundred feet off.

She then made her way slowly and purposefully towards our car. When she began to get too close I backed up. She advanced a little more. Not aggressively, just quietly, almost thoughtfully. I stopped backing up and she stopped too, turning first this way and then that way. Then she spun around this way and that. Then she showed us her bottom, had a little sniff at a traffic cone and then began advancing again.

Her behaviour was intriguing. A couple more times I backed off and then eventually decided that we had reversed enough and kept the car still. She came right up to the side of the car before moving away to fish, as if she didn't have a care in the world. Definitely one of the most memorable experiences we've had with bears since coming to the ranch.

21 October 2007

Good viewing today. As we were heading south a few miles from the ranch we saw a grizzly bear with a pale white stripe reaching down from her shoulders. We watched for several minutes as she gently fished the river. Then we looked up to see another bear almost right in front of the car. She also made her way down to the river and for a moment there was a little tension as the two bears sniffed each other.

We moved onto a bridge to watch the grizzlies and the second bear, seemingly oblivious to our presence, came right underneath within a couple of dozen feet of the car, before continuing her way down along the river. Nice view of her bottom as she slowly moved away from us.

20 October 2007

A remarkable morning for bear-viewing. We all watched a grizzly bear a few kilometres north of the ranch. Eventually the bear rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. Then within a few minutes we came across a mum with two cubs. She was a little skittish and ran into the bush. Another bear soon followed and then, as we returned to the ranch, we saw Apple again. She obliged us with a good 45 minutes of excellent viewing as she casually fished the river, moving first this way and then that. Above is a picture of Apple Jakob Dulisse, a friend and wildlife photographer, took a couple of weeks ago.

19 October 2007

Guests saw a mum with two cubs this afternoon, but they immediately turned on their heels and left. Then, after half an hour or so waiting, a different mum with two cubs. This time everyone watched for a while as they fished in the river. It was a little dark for photos but made for good viewing.

16 October 2007

Today was one of our slower days. We saw one grizzly in the river on the morning, but he didn't stay around very long. Then in the afternoon a better sighting - another grizzly quite near the place we saw the first one. This time we had a good viewing but the bear eventually moved around a corner and, although we waited for a while, did not reemerge.

15 October 2007

Set out this morning with our first US group in a while. The river was misty but the sun soon began to burn through. On the way back to the ranch before breakfast we ran into a decent-sized grizzly right on the road. We all watched her for a while and the guests in Gillian's car got some good photos.

In the evening the two guests with me - Duane and Terry - had a remarkable sight. As we stopped and waited two grizzlies emerged above the brush and began jawing with each other. It was too far for photos but nevertheless quite a spectacle.

Guests in Gillian's car also saw three grizzlies emerge from the bush. Fascinatingly they were all of significantly different sizes. A mum with two cubs from different years? Not sure really. They also saw another grizzly which turned and ran into the bush.

12 October 2007

One of the stranger days viewing. We came across a grizzly high up the river and came possibly closer than we have ever have before. She was feeding on the near bank behind a thick camouflage of grasses and although we saw little of her and didn't get too much in the way of photographs, we heard her and got the odd peak of her. On the way back to the ranch, just as it was getting dark, we passed half a dozen elk making their way upstream. It was a truly magical moment. We also saw a black bear and a large male moose and, of course, several bald eagles.

11 October 2007

So yesterday we drew a blank - or at least almost a blank - for the first time this season. Nothing in the morning and in the afternoon a black bear, but not a very long sighting. Today, however, things picked up with a vengeance. We caught up with Apple again on the river and another, slightly more shy, bear. Apple was her usual brazen self offering great viewing. At one stage she even approached to within about 30 feet of the trucks, but thought better of it and headed back to the river. This is just one of many magnificent shots of her we got.

07 October 2007

Today was a little less chaotic than yesterday but we still had good viewing. In the morning guests in Gillian's car saw a bear on the river and then in the afternoon each of our car saw a bear.

Alan and Caroline, who were with me, had a great view of a black bear, probably a two-year-old, with a salmon in his mouth. He stood and looked at us for a while before running away.

As we returned to the ranch we also had a great sighting of a mum with two cubs. Although it was almost dark we watched through binoculars as all three swam across the wide river.

Meanwhile Jakob, our wildlife photographer friend, was on the trail of Apple, the bear we had seen a number of times at the head of the river. He found her and took this great shot of her resting after a large meal.

6 October 2007

One of the most remarkable days of the season. In the morning we saw three bears, including a long viewing of the fine bear above, who wandered up river and passed within about 30 feet of our car before continuing on its way. Then in the afternoon between us we saw 11 different grizzly bears including two mums with three cubs each, a mum with two cubs. The first family bobbed up and down as they inspected us from behind some foliage. We also saw a smallish black bear. Today would probably have been a record-breaker (if we were counting.)

3 October 2007

A fine last day for our guests. After a lazy morning and a beautiful raft down the river (during which we came across a grizzly mum with two cubs) we set out for our pre-dinner foray. Saw one grizzly bear fleetingly, but then as we were making our way back to the ranch Jenny spotted another on the river bank. We stopped and watched as, unabashed, he slowly made his way down the river and out of sight. A nice end to one of our most successful packages yet.

2 October 2007

Another good day. The morning was a bit slow and only the group in my car saw bears and only fleetingly. But they were spectacular. As we pulled around a corner on a trail, a mum and three large cubs stood there. The mum went up on her back legs to get a good look at us. And then down. And then up again.

In the evening we also saw a cub. Then a few minutes later one of the best sightings yet. An adult grizzly slowly made its way up the river and within about 60 feet of the two cars before continuing, fishing as it went. The light was too low for good photography but perfect for viewing. Everyone was a little exhilarated as we returned to the ranch.

1 October 2007

Great start to this holiday for our guests. Barely had they arrived, when a grizzly made its way slowly into view in the river at the end of the garden. Masha, one of our shepherds, began to bark insistently but the bear was undeterred and made its way slowly down the far bank, taking a fish here and a fish there, until it crossed over and passed from view.

The next morning we also had a great sighting a little higher on the river. Watching from a high vantage point we saw a grizzly walking across a gravel bar. We headed down to the bank and called Gillian on the radio and as all six of us sat there watching the bear came right up the other side of the river, before turning its bottom to us and disappearing into the bush.

30 September 2007

We don't see a lot of wolves at the ranch but every now and then one pops up. Two weeks ago John, one of our guests, thought he saw one from the yard as it made its way up the other side of the river. Then this. The photograph was taken by Andrea from Graz in Austria as she left the ranch in early September. Despite its colourings, it is definitely a grey wolf. Beautiful.

27 September 2007

Just as we thought the afternoon might come to nothing, we came across this guy. Despite his weight he had clambered right to the top of a mountain ash and was stripping off the fruit. At one stage a branch snapped and he fell a few feet but recovered. Once he had finished he walked almost up to our truck before casually strolling off down the path.

26 September 2007

On our early morning run we spotted a grizzly at one of our favorite viewing spots. He swam across the river and, after a while, disappeared into the bush. There are now loads of tracks on many of the sandbanks around the ranch. Otherwise it was a fairly quiet morning although Jakob followed the grizzlies we have dubbed "Apple" back to the old orchard in what appears to be her regular daily run.

In the afternoon we chanced upon a mum with three cubs - all huge. But she was spooked by our arrival and, after a few seconds hesitation, ordered her cubs into the bush with her. Then just as our old friend, the cinnamon black, emerged a local man arrived on an ATV with a barking dog and scared the bear away. On the way back we saw another grizzly on a sandbank in the moonlight, quite an unusual and beautiful sight.

25 September 2007

Another great morning for bear-viewing. A few miles north of the ranch we spotted our first bear swimming across the river in the early-morning light. We watched through binoculars as, seemingly unaware of us, he fished a little here and there. After about 10 minutes he disappeared into the bush at the other side.

Then, a few miles further, came one of our best sightings yet. An adult grizzly, totally unconcerned about the presence of our vehicles, moved backwards and forwards across the river, sometimes coming as close as 50 feet to us. (See the picture above.)

Jakob, a friend and wildlife photographer, later tracked the same bear up to an old apple orchard where she (he actually saw her urinate - probably the only reliable way of telling a male from a female grizzly at a distance) climbed in to an apple tree (whoever said grizzlies can't climb trees?) and shook down the apples before gorging on them.

In the afternoon we watched on a small creek as a mum and three large grizzly cubs (certainly two-year-olds and possibly three-year-olds) rummaged around in the bush before emerging to fish. They were shy and kept their distance but through the light foliage we got some great views of them and they were huge. As we left Deborah, one of our guests, saw a fifth grizzly in clearing and David saw a coyote on the road.

21 September 2007

Best day so far this season! After a slow morning we set out in the late afternoon. Auspiciously we had barely driven five minutes when a black bear crossed the road in front of us. Ten minutes later we spotted the grizzly, again in the river and moving slowly towards the bank. For the next 20 minutes or so we sat mesmerized as he slowly moved towards us down the river bank, fishing as he came. With the engines off and everybody silent the grizzly approached slowly, slowly until he was only a little over about 40 feet away. Then he smelled or heard something and turned and ran into the bush. Photographically this was our best opportunity of the season. Both Jean-Pierre and I clicked away while others took photos and watched through the binoculars. Quite simply an amazing sight.

Later in the afternoon we saw deer and a young male adult moose who we slowly followed up the road for a couple of miles before he disappeared off into the forest. Then on the way back Kristin saw a small black bear cub. We celebrated that night with a glass each of Moet.

20 September 2007

This morning we set out early and were in position by 6.20am. After a little over half an hour the cinnamon black we had seen previously emerged and began to eat. Almost simultaneously a grizzly sow appeared with two large cubs in tow- probably the same family we had seen before. We watched happily for an hour or so.

In the afternoon we had a stroke of luck. Jean-Pierre, who forthwith became known as "Eagle Eyes", spotted a grizzly in the river at several hundred feet. We watched with binoculars as he moved onto a sandbank and around the corner. Repositioning the truck we then watched for 15 or 20 minutes as he slowly made his way towards us, oblivious to our presence. It was too dark for good photos, but a magnificent sight. On the way back to the ranch, Gillian spotted another grizzly on a sandbank. At first it ignored her truck, then it abruptly stood up, wheeled around and left.

19 September 2007

In the morning we saw no bears, but then as we headed out in the afternoon with Emy, Craig, Chelle, Jean-Pierre, Annie, Lynne and Donald our luck began to change. Annie was in the first car when she spotted a grizzly mum with tow cubs down on the river bank. For a while they watched and Jean-Pierre took some nice photos with his long lens.

Later on we returned to the spot where we had seen the cinnamon black a few days and he did not disappoint. Although the light was a little low for good photography we discreetly watched him fishing for half an hour or so.

17 September 2007

With John, Joyce, Trevor, Louise, Andrea and Egon, we returned once again to a spot where the fish were thick. This time a beautiful cinnamon black bear came out. For quite a while I thought he was a grizzly - the colour was right, the place was right - but the profile was unmistakably a black bear. Great chance to take photos.

14 September 2007

Returning to the hangout where we had seen the grizzly mum and cubs the night before, we watched again as she appeared, this time a little earlier in the evening. We watched for about 10 minutes and took lots of photos. Eventually the mum moved just a little too close to the trucks and began to appear a little agitated so we pulled away.

13 September 2007

Saw a 2/3 year old black bear on the road this morning. I think he has been in the area for several days, as we have seen him before eating on grasses and insects living in rotten tree stumps. Just after 7pm, we also saw three grizzlies at one of our favourite local hangouts. We watched them for a while - the two cubs appeared to be large two-year-olds or possibly even three-year-olds. Then just as we were returning to the ranch - adding the icing to the cake - we watched a small black cub, probably a yearling, walk across the road in front of our trucks.