Identificaciones de carolr

The baffles on my feeder stands are in place to keep squirrels and chipmunks off of the bird feeders. They have learned that they are also a good place to hide from danger. In this case, the squirrel was foraging for scraps on the ground beneath the feeders. When it heard my patio screen open it jumped and grabbed the pole, ready to scamper into the baffle if need be.

Saw this beautiful light colored female Black Bear, a bear who is one of the established locals (and knows my scent and presence are not a threat), on the last leg of a very long hike... to visit some places now under lock and key due to last year's Tamarack Fire.

I was about out of water and decided to take a shortcut down a seldom travelled drainage. Took a few photos of shrubs regenerating, then saw her... She was slowly making her way up the burned, dry, and shadeless drainage. Twice she stopped to rest and cool down...
Yes, fire is a natural process, I've worked as a fire rehab specialist, Federal Inspector of contractors resending burns, and a few stints as a Wildland Firefighter... Wildfires are more numerous, intense and larger (on average) as each year passes... Look at this bear struggling with the heat in a huge area that no longer has needed shade or ample food sources through spring, summer, and fall. I documented some of the major foods they were seeking this spring into early summer... Quite a change from what has easily sustained them in the past - before this huge fire and the neighboring even larger Caldor Fire (also last year). The reemerging shrubs are not in a mature fruit producing stage and many usual forbs are lacking or nonexistent. Pine seed/nut production is very low and spotty in trees half-scorched or are in isolated unburned islands...

It's very hard times for bears of this area, very limited foods are now wilted by the above average (constant trend) heat of summer, and insects in snags and downed logs (most burned), and under rocks, are all gone or barely present. Small unburned islands and the fires' edges are extremely important now. Keep in mind that established territories, both seasonal and year long are severely changed and available foods are sought by concentrations of bears.

Things are different in the mountains and elsewhere, and we play the biggest role in these changes.