Bear-ly There...

I take a drive around the Refuge early in the mornings.  I always see something of interest even if I don't always see moose or bear.  Yesterday I saw 2 white-tail deer in the Weapons Storage Area.  Truth is, I don't get excited when I see deer, although folks in this part of Maine seem to have more interest in the deer than a moose.  I didn't see much of anything else, but I worked the Visitor Center from 10 am until 3 pm and just didn't go out again for an evening drive.

This morning I had plans to mow and wanted to get started early as I am going to help with a school group later.  But...  of course I had to take my morning drive.  Another foggy morning and only 41 degrees.

There were no moose in Moose Marsh; none in Dilemma Pond; no moose or bear in the 300 area...  not even any deer in the Weapon Storage Area.  Not a thing in the 9,000 area....  on to Bucky Beaver's Pond....

Oh Ho...  what's that dark spot along the road?

My car's windshield is absolutely filthy...  outside the wet fog had smeared bug splats, and inside I had smashed bugs creating smears and splats on the side window as well as the windshield.  But I know a bear when I see one...  and way up the road, that dark spot started to check me out as well.

Oh...  but look....  way behind that bear are some more dark spots....

Big Old Bear went on across the road and kept on going...

And...  that's a sow (female bear) and her 2 cubs farther back.

The perspective here is very deceiving....  there are NO hills that steep anywhere here!  It's probably a tenth of a mile between the bear in front and the family of bears in the back.  And, it's a gradual uphill grade...  I can even pedal my bicycle up it without getting winded.

After I took that 2nd photo, the mom and twin cubs went back across the road and stayed alongside the road for a few minutes before deciding to cross the road again.  By now she's checking me out.  They all got across and headed into the woods on the other side.

I don't think I've seen this bear family before...  I've seen a sow with 3 cubs in about the same location, but those cubs look a little bigger than these guys.  Also, there's a bear with 2 cubs that hangs out in the 300 area, but those cubs are a bit bigger as well.  These little guys looked really small.  

I know the quality of the photos isn't very good (hence, the "barely there" title)....  but it's the best I have today.  I have to make a run to the Post Office before that school group comes at 10:00.  I'll have to write about that tomorrow...  they're doing something different.

That's All For Today!