The other week I went out birding during the evening. Sprayed on my favorite summer cologne, “Deet 30% by Chanel for men '', placed the bear spray canister on the outside of the pack and off I went. With lack of heat and smoke and a nice breeze moving through the trees, it was good to be out. I saw a small hawk in the woods, perched on a fallen tree. But before I was able to put the camera on it, it flew away. But the Lesser Scaup with three offspring were in no hurry, who I saw soon after. A few hundred meters later as I came around a turn, about 20 meters in front of me was a nice surprise. A young black bear must have heard me or saw me through the shrubs because it was already a couple of feet up a tree for safety. I touched my bear spray, but seeing the bear was more scared of me than I was about it, the spray stayed put. Nonetheless, seeing there was no way to create space between us for me to pass, I did a 180 and left the bear where it was. I connected with another trail, but on my way back from that trail, I heard a sound to the left of me. I looked into the tall grass toward the shrubs below the trail. A bear’s head popped up and looked at me. It was another black bear, but this one was cinnamon in colour and a year older. The trail was wider, so I moved to the other side of the trail and kept walking while looking toward the bear. It stopped looking at me and went back to eating the white dogwood berries. I stopped for a quick look, all I saw were moving shrubs and a couple of ears. Before I got to the car, I got a close look at a perched Great Blue Heron on a fallen tree. I got some images and I left. Another good bird walk. In the mountains, it’s rare I only come across birds during the bird walks. Always have to be ready for anything. This season the buffaloberry crop has not been good at all in the Bow Valley, the bears are travelling a lot to locate the calories they need before they head for the den in a few months.
