Winds and Weiser

Yesterday was hot, humid, and windy in the late afternoon.  It seemed like nothing was happening at the HRD, even the raccoon who arrived around sundown didn’t make a dent in the seed and corn at the feeding rock, so I wasn’t too concerned about making an early morning trek to check the trail cam.  Trying to catch up on some “business”,  and knowing we were getting a cord of wood delivered this morning, I didn’t pay much attention to the noise until I realized it was coming from near the front door.  I’ll be dipped, there’s a bear removing the suet feeder from the deck.  I was not quick enough to get a picture immediately, but I did snap one as my guest ran across the yard. Score Bear 1, Suet Feeder 0.  But, why would Buddy do that?? It is angrily windy here today and all the critters are spooked, but …

Claw scrape on the porch post

I figured there might be some pictures from the trail cam (Buddy’s MO is to go there first) and I was hoping to find the suet feeder. But I forced myself to finish the business I‘d started, then glanced out the window before heading outside.  The bear was back … and it wasn’t Buddy.  But it wasn’t Spooky either. Hmmm. 

My living room, elevated above the house’s garage and about 100’ from the rock, looks like a photography studio.  Two tripods, 3 cameras … and hundreds of photographs taken on a daily basis.  It seems so much of my time is spent in downloading photos, comparing facial features, and trying to find recognizable marks with which to differentiate the bears who visit.  It’s still a tough job.  Easier with a Mama and cub, easiEST with Buddy because he responds to my voice and presence without skittishness.  I’ve been looking at so many pictures over the past hour, I‘m a bit befuddled.  But, I’m pretty sure, this was Weiser.

The second cub to show up last summer, I actually got a few photographs of the two near the feeding rock at the same time: Bud and Weiser.  I can’t say I saw a lot of her last year, but I surely did in October.  She was the bear who found my Halloween corn stalks decoration and decided to devour them as she laid in the lush grass of the back yard. Inside the fence. By the garden and the greenhouse. Weiser was tolerant of me, but not like Buddy.  She also had different table manners, which was what I noticed last year as I began to realize there were not one, but two yearlings coming around 

I identified her by a ‘beauty mark’ on her right eye.  

This bear wasn't as afraid of me as Spooky Mama (note, me up by the garage doors, taking pictures). This photo was taken by the Bushnell trail camera.  By the way, if you click on the pictures on this page, it enlarges them.  You can see date and time stamp on the bottom.

If this is indeed Weiser, the identifier is less pronounced as she has grown.  If it’s not her, well, maybe they’re related♥ 

This should be in an advertisement for Bushnell!!

*****************


Please visit my Etsy shop at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mycherokee

                              
“Teach us love, compassion and honor…
that we may heal the Earth and heal each other.”   - Ojibwe
Click here for Ojibwe Prayer Song