.

.
Borrego Springs, CA

Friday, August 10, 2012

A beary interesting morning

I was scheduled to work Thursday in the Gateway VC, and that I did.  Talk about boring.  We only had 42 visitors.  I worked the whole day, and two local volunteers came in for four hours each to help with the ‘crowds’.  I try to keep it in perspective though.  It wasn’t too long ago that I was at Anahuac NWR working the VC, and would be thrilled if 12 people stopped in.  The advantage there was that I could easily pop in and out of the little shack to watch birds, and take photos.  I’ve done about all the photo opportunities at this building, and the view is pretty much of the  parking lot and a thin strip of woods between the building and US 64.  Can’t go traipsing off into the woods for two reasons.  First, I can’t see cars arriving, and second, ticks are a real problem in the woods.  I don’t need to be getting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  (that happened to Abbey, the volunteer coordinator last year)

So, I was looking forward to today when I only had to work a half day.  My assignment was to check all of the outlying entrances to Alligator River NWR and restock maps and information brochures in the posted boxes.  It’s the same thing I did last week.  It involves quite a bit of driving, but it gets me out and about.

_MG_9665

I took the back refuge roads to drop off my car at the maintenance building and check out a refuge vehicle for today’s journey.  Along the way, I was treated to a fantastic view of this big fellow.  I assure you, I stayed in my car as he approached.

_MG_9663

The water was still clinging to his legs from walking through this wet Pocosin habitat.  I’m pretty confident that he had spent the very early morning hours dining on the fields of corn that were just behind him.  I also wondered just how much further he was going to come towards me. Disappointed smile

_MG_9690

He eventually turned around and headed down one of the levies.  Can you guess how I knew it was a male bear?  Here’s a couple of clues.  He was big.  There were no little cubs with him, and if you look closely you can see that he is endowed with quite a pair of Rocky Mountain Oysters!  Rolling on the floor laughing  I think you can see the power that is evident in the front legs of these bears.  What I find interesting is how their back legs look rather wimpy in comparison.  I’d say he’s also very well fed.  Must be all that corn.

I completed my duties restocking the boxes, and didn’t see anything else quite as exciting as this.  I did save some photos though for tomorrow since I’ll be working the Gateway VC again for the day. 

I was in a bit of a quandary this evening as to what photo to use for the finish of this post.  I think I’ll let you decide which one is the most appropriate.  It will depend on your point of view.  Should it be:

_MG_9712                                           THE END!!  (you can tell the bears are loving the corn)

                                                                                   OR

_MG_9678

                                                                                 THE END!!  ??

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

43 comments:

  1. I love that bear! What a handsome fellow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. How great that you got to see that handsome bear. I like both of your ending photos!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow that is surly a big black bear! Nice pics'

    ReplyDelete
  4. He was coming closer to see if you brought him anything good to eat.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good gravy, Judy! Glad you stayed in your car. I didn't see any bells in your last pictures. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. WOW Judy - how totally cool is it that you saw this bear AND that you got such great pictures.
    But glad you were not out of your car when he strolled up.

    He is BIIIIGGGG! And obviously very well fed. I vote for photo #2 not the photo of #2. :-))

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like the furry end better too. He definitely is not to be tangled with. Hope he stays away from the campsites.

    ReplyDelete
  8. OMG love that last photo! (or the one before?) Too cute.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I vote for the second photo, I just ate dinner...Great bear photos, Judy!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well, well, so you noticed he 'beared' his Rocky Mountain Oysters did you........:))

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow Judy! Thank you for the photos of Bear. Not only is that an amazing experience for you and the photos are absolutely outstanding, but I personally appreciate it, unbeknownst to you. Bear is one of my totem animals . . . my guardian, my power animal. This came at a very opportune time for me and I truly appreciate these photos. So glad you had an awesome encounter!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like the poop photo. Now I can send folks to see it when they insist they are seeing bear scat and it is coyote or something. After 30 plus years working in the northwest woods, I do know what bear poop looks like!

    ReplyDelete
  13. and yes, that bear is quite an impressive bear and your photos of him are downright scary looking! So glad you were in your car.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great bear photos, Judy! I'm glad you had a little bit of excitement today. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. What an impressive animal!! He is awesome!! What a great sighting for you. It would have made my day. Love all the photos.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The thrill of seeing a bear never gets old.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a BIGGGG BEAR this fellow is!!!! I will be visiting your NWR in about a month and I sure hope I am able to see some great wildlife like you are getting to see.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've never seen a bear outside of a zoo. He is really beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  19. that is one big bear! I'm glad you stayed in the car.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nothing edifying about bear poop. I vote for the bear pic. Great photos. Glad you were in the car, he is huge.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Love the bear pix, Judy. So jealous you got to get so close to him, but glad he wasn't too brave either. A

    ReplyDelete
  22. Well, poo, Judy - no contest on this one! Oysters and corn, what a combo! Ursa Major for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  23. the last photo gets my vote..we haven't seen pics of 'poop' in blogville in a long time...not since the days of Nellie, Jonathan and Bosco at Midlife Cruisers!..the bear is a beauty, 'oysters' and all!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Awesome! That's a cool encounter! So if a bear poops in the woods...I guess Judy is there to see him! :) Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Well, now you've gone and done it!!!

    You have proven that bears poop in other places than in the woods.

    You have also finally informed me as to what really are Rocky Mountain Oysters.

    Geez. I learn new stuff all the time here.

    ReplyDelete
  26. WOW! What great pictures. He is a big boy. I never thought about them eating corn but clearly they do.

    ReplyDelete
  27. WOW!!! Great photos Judy!!! Our chokecherries are ripening around here and we noticed several piles of "the end" during our walk yesterday morning.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Great pictures. I had no idea there are bears in North Carolina. I guess I always thought the east coast was so developed that bears would have left long ago. I need to add this to my places to see!

    ReplyDelete
  29. You are to funny!
    He sure is a big guy.

    ReplyDelete
  30. SCAT, BEAR!!!! OR SHOULD I SAY "BEAR SCAT"..What a great find in that big fellow...He certainly had some big family jewels...but so did you for sitting there taking pictures!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Those are great photos of the bear! He is a big one. I hope that get that schedule fixed so you can be outside more, I can tell how much you miss it.

    ReplyDelete
  32. That is one big bear - great pics!

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a brute he is, he certainly hasn't missed any meals. We had a big guy like that in our front yard after my bird feeders.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have to tip my hat to you. You have taken "The End" competition to a whole new level...multiple choice ends!

    Of course one choice was a little corny... ;c)

    ReplyDelete
  35. WooHoo... what a beary great adventure for you!

    I personally enjoy the humor of the scat!

    ReplyDelete
  36. I liked "The End" ! :D Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Let us celebrate our inner pre-adolescent! Another vote for bears ch*tting in the woods.
    The Right whale has the biggest cojones in nature, can be 6 feet across and weigh more than a ton, so this big guy of yours is bearly a contender.

    ReplyDelete
  38. WOWZERS! He's a beaut! Don't let him hear you calling them Rocky Mountain oysters, though!

    I'd be just as happy not to see those Right whale stones.

    ReplyDelete