Wednesday 11 June 2014

...and bears, oh my!

 

I have just returned from visiting family in Terrace, on the north coast of British Columbia. While there we took a day trip up the Nisga'A highway(#113). We saw many interesting sights which I will be sharing with you, most exciting for me was the wildlife.

We saw a black bear and her cub along the side of the road. They were in a flat area at the edge of the forest. The mamma bear was between us and her cub and did not seem too worried about our presence. We stopped the car long enough for me to take some pictures. No one got out of the car and we did not want to risk angering her so did not stay more than a couple of minutes.

These bears hibernate during the winter months and this cub may have been born over the winter. Her coat is matted and she may have emerged from hibernation recently. She was eating dandelion heads and other vegetation and after briefly considering whether we were a threat went back to her meal.


 
The cub is just behind its mother, and is quite visible below.

 
I caught a bit of the rear view mirror in this picture and the one below.

 
She was about 2.5 to 3 feet tall at the shoulders and about 6 feet long.


 
The cub disappears into the trees.

 
The bear did not approach us, I used my big lens for some closeups.

 
A formidable beast.



 
This area is also the home of the Kermode or Spirit Bears.
 
"The Kermode bear (Ursus americanus kermodei, pron. kerr-MO-dee), also known as a "spirit bear" (particularly in British Columbia), is a subspecies of the North American Black Bear living in the Central and North Coast regions of British Columbia, Canada.[1] It is noted for about 110 of their population having white or cream-coloured coats. This colour morph is due to recessive genes common in the population. They are not albinos and not any more related to polar bears or the "blonde" brown bears of Alaska's "ABC Islands" than other members of their species. Sometimes a black mother can have a white cub." Wikipedia
 
A few years ago I did see an adult spirit bear, an impressive sight, and maybe a once in a lifetime sighting for me.
 
The cub looking back at mamma bear.


 
Perhaps the mamma saying I'll be there in a minute or two. 




 



 
momma with a mouth full of dandelions.


 
 
Bears are all I have of the Terrace area for today. I was quite delighted to have seen them from a safe vantage point.
 
On the news front I received "Post of the Week" award for my post "What's going on here?", the story about littlest gosling. Thank you Hillary!
 
Here is my latest painting "Baldy", an 11" X 12" watercolour: 
 
 
 
That's all for this week. Thanks for dropping by and happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next time,
 
Gillian
 
 


14 comments:

  1. A wonderful animal. I wish I could see one in the wild. I hope she doesn't get run over.

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  2. Beautiful painting! Lucky you to have the opportunity to see and photograph the black bear and her cub. I enjoyed seeing them. Thanks!

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  3. gorgeous painting!

    so neat to see the bears! wow!

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  4. Oh lovely, like mother and cub, beautiful. You are the best artist in all, thanks Gillian.

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  5. Awesome series on the bear and the cub! Your eagle painting is great! Have a happy day?

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  6. Gorgeous painting and wonderful shots of the bears.

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  7. Fantastic shots of the mother and baby bear. I love the bald eagle painting.

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  8. what an exciting moment, momma bear looks quite impossing!! congrat on your award on the gosling post, i remember that entry!!

    your painting is gorgeous. do you paint one per week. it seems you are sharing them that frequently!!

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  9. Glad you took the shots safely from a distance. Momma did look interested in you on one of those photos:) Very nice series of photos you have here. I'd love to see bear as well.....just from a distance.

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  10. A great series of photos and how exciting to see those bears and to get such great photos of the. Many years ago while traveling in B.C. I saw bears but back in those days only pro photographers could afford long lenses to get up close - as you have done. Thanks for sharing.

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  11. Oh, Wow! is right... Although I have seen bears around here, they are not as plentiful as up north. You took some super photos. Your painting of the bald eagle is magnificent!

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  12. I love the shots of the black bear! Last weekend we saw a black bear here too BUT I was sitting in the back seat of the car on the wrong side so couldn't get out fast enough to get shots like you did!

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  13. Hi, I'm over here as Glo recommended I visit, wow....how amazing to see such incredible creatures close up like that, I only get to see them on nature programms, such fantastic pictures and what a privilege!!!x

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  14. I'm sorry I'm only now getting around to leaving a comment here (thought I had left one, but I guess it was a senior moment). You did REALLY well to get those beautiful shots of the bears. I love Baldy as well. Such a talent you have! Now, I'm going to hop back to your "spirits" post.

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