Magic Moments - Adventures of Glen and Liz: August 4 - Pack Creek Bears

August 4 - Pack Creek Bears – Now the Mighty Five

We spent the last three nights in Windfall Harbor.

Nelsea and Miner’s Debt pulled out starting their trip south at 8am. We may or may not meet up with them again.

Group 2 of the Pack Creek adventurers are set for today. Jim, Gary and Lenore, Pete and Linda, Willard and Diane, Maryann, Dave, and Glen and Liz. Cheryl did not feel well so stayed on the boat. We went over to start our viewing at 10 am. Yesterday’s group had to wait on the beach for an hour before going to the viewing area in the creek due to bear activity up the beach and along the route.

On arrival we saw one bear on the beach to the south. It was walking along and digging clams. After our orientation we headed out as a ‘clumped’ group along the beach. We passed a Sitka Black Tail deer who was walking toward us on the upper beach. She did not seem to mind us but did move to just under the overhung tree branches as we were at our closest point.

When we got to the viewing area we saw a bear and two cubs (born this year) out on the grassy area. They were taking a nap and the little ones were nursing. Momma raised her head to look around periodically to keep track of what was happening around her.

The bear that we had seen on the beach earlier had been working its way up the beach and was headed up the stream. Momma bear saw this and woke the kids and they stood their ground for a few minutes and then started to head off across the meadow away from the stream, and they played and laid down for another rest. The ranger who was at the site told us that the incoming bear was another female. Had it been a male the mom would have taken her cubs into the woods.

The other bear ran up and down the stream chasing salmon, but did not seem to be a very good catcher of fish, and was not interested in the other bear family. She worked her way up the stream and out of sight. Once she was gone momma bear brought the cubs back over to her ‘day bed’ spot on the stream and the little ones played while mom looked for fish. One of the cubs was much more adventurous than the other and went swimming and tried to follow mom around and even would take fish away from her. The other one stayed on shore following along and leaning down to play with its sibling but would not get into the water.

Nine of us decided to take the hike to the upstream tower. So we walked back to the starting point on the beach and up the other trail about 1 mile to the viewing tower. We passed a ranger on the way and she said that there were two bear up there. The group stayed together and the hike took 45 minutes one way. The tower had a large platform high above the stream. There was a beaver dam on a side shoot of the stream to the left of the tower. We did not see any bear near the tower or any bear in route. But did see lots of fish in the water, trying to swim upstream, lots of dead fish in the water and on the shoreline, and several types of sea birds (gulls) feeding on the dead fish and likely on fish eggs. The place smelled like fish fertilizer.

Interesting fungus growing on the trees – bright orange

Fish in the creek

Groups are allowed 3 hours from beach to tower and back to beach, so we headed back at the appropriate time. Jim and Linda were on the beach waiting for us. We went back to the big boats and had lunch and enjoyed the sunshine. Yep we had a warm sunny day.

Dave enjoying some sun and reading time.

Glen and Dave went kayaking for a bit. After dinner the Magic crew went back over to Pack Creek for an evening viewing.

On arrival we walked up the beach to the viewing area. The tide was very low and there were 6 bear on the beach - tidelands. Momma and her cubs, two sub adults – Ruby and Rufus (about 3 yr. olds), and another adult female on the beach. There were also a large number of Eagles on the tidelands. When we first got the viewing area, there was also another bear up stream walking around in the water.

The rangers spotting scope was very handy to view the bears activities way out on the tidelands. Rufus dug a hole and then promptly sat in it. He just sat there for quite some time. Mom and the cubs came first running up the river. Mom catching fish and the little one stealing it from her. The two cubs were eating the fish and growling at each other as they were grabbing for the juiciest parts. Sibling rivalry at the dinner table.

Info from the Ranger – the mom and cubs: cubs were born this past winter as the first cubs to this 7 ½ year old mom. She had a ‘bad’ mom (not very attentive or protective) so they have been watching her closely to see how she does. So far pretty good, very attentive, protective, etc…

Ruby and Rufus are not related but are both 3 ½ year olds who were both chased off by their moms last year. They hooked up as friends and have been hanging out together since. Rufus is a lonely bear who wants attention and to play a lot. Ruby puts up with Rufus and ignores him a lot.

Teenage Mom: First appeared last year with about a two-year-old with her. They do not believe that that cub was hers based on their interactions. The younger bear is about 3 ½ this year. Teenage mom at first they thought she was quite young and a teenage mom but now they realize that she is in fact a much older bear but just a very small bear.

The cubs generally stay with their mom for 2 or 3 summers and then she chases them off.

Females stop growing when they have their first litter which generally does not happen until they are 7-8 years old, even though they are sexually mature at about 4 yrs. They have litters of 1-4 cubs, and about 40% of those cubs do not live to adulthood.

Males continue to grow throughout their life. They do not compete successfully with other males for the opportunity to mate until fully into adulthood.

Bears can live as long as 30 years depending on their food supply, injuries, conflicts with other bears or humans.

In all it was a great day, sunny warm, and a bear show.

Lots of photos and videos were shot today.