If you have already read Deby’s post from yesterday you know she saw otters Saturday but didn’t see the Beryl Springs sow and cub yesterday. Turns our I didn’t either but I did see Mini-Mom and her 2 year old cub. He was so small I thought he was a yearling.
We had spent most of the day on the Madison River waiting for the otters that never showed up. Watching and filming wildlife is like flying a small plane: hours and hours of boredom with a few minutes of shear terror, or in this case pure excitement. We were loosing the light when we first saw them the pair of grizzlies near Roaring Mountain but it was really great to see our first grizzlies of the season.
We photographed them eating grass and generally looking cute and then they did something I have never seen grizzlies do before. They began walking down the road towards the north for over 1 and 1/2 miles. Bison do that all the time but this was my first bear jam that was caused by grizzlies who owned the road. Do you know that part at the end of “Peter and the Wolf” when they all form a procession? That is how I felt, except I wasn’t just watching the procession, I was part of it. First in the procession was Mini-Mom, then Mini-Cub, then a very respectful pair of guys in a van who were seeing grizzlies for the first time ever, then us and then another pickup truck.
No one did anything to upset the bears until finally a car came from the north. It was almost dark by that time so that car got pretty close before they realized the bears were on the road. That car accidentally spooked them and they left the road.
I love to film any animal I can, especially grizzlies, but it was really nice to just watch them be bears as they walked. I will never forget them for the gift they gave me. It may sound goofy but the bottoms of their feet as they walked are etched in my mind.
You can sure tell she loves her cub. <3
Deby, you have to watch out for those birds. Last year it was the Sandhill cranes and now a grouse. Take care.
Good photos of the bears, Judy. I think you are both very lucky ladies to be where you are and be so good at what you do.
Isn’t that the truth!
Great shots of mini mom and mini cub! I photographed them a million miles away in bad light all afternoon and even got bitten by a grouse! Apparently, had I been there much earlier I would have gotten much closer and great light. So, you have all of the luck.
Well I think it is really neat you got bitten by a grouse. Hope if forms a scar so you can brag about it later.
You would think that it was neat.