Happy August!
It has been a very active bear season in our community this summer.
My neighbors have been sharing these photos of multiple bears that have been roaming around on our community Facebook group.
We live on the Colorado Front Range at the beginning of the foothills and near some wilderness, so it should not be a surprise that we get wildlife visitors from time to time.
Bears have a super sense of smell and a veracious appetite.
Sadly, even though people are asked to take down birdfeeders in spring and summer and not store garbage cans outside or place them out at night, many forget or don't heed the warnings.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has reported sightings of at least six different bears in our area this summer. They tell us to haze them away by making loud sounds, such as shaking rocks in a soda can or banging on a pot, and of course, keep our garages and cars closed and locked and remove all food sources.
No one wants to see the bears euthanized, especially the Momma bear that visits who has three cubs!
Click on this photo to enlarge it
We do have warning and informational signs on our trails about the wildlife that frequents our area.
It may have to soon add moose to that sign, as there have also been moose sightings in our community this summer! They are often sighted in the mountains, especially on the western side of the Continental Divide, but more have been heading to the more populated eastern side of Colorado in the past few years. They look friendly but they have a lethal kick and are naturally afraid of dogs which they perceive instinctively as wolves. If you ever see a moose with its ears pinned back be extra careful as it is distressed and may attack. Happily, this moose found its way back to the wildness again.
Most days I just see deer when I look outside my windows...
...but sometimes we may get a glance at many other wild animals.
This summer we have had frequent afternoon thunderstorms with lightning. Some parts of eastern Colorado even had tornadoes and...
...enormous hail!
Happily, my area has not seen hail like that, for which I am grateful.
In addition to the frequent rain that brings rainbows, we have also received other blessings. We have also had many days of beautiful weather, without the high heat and humidity that have been plaguing much of the US this summer. Our hills remain green and drought-free. We live in a beautiful place and even with all our wildlife excitement it has been a wonderful summer so far. I hope your summer is also a happy one!
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38 comments:
Hello Pat,
I really enjoyed your Bear Aware post and photos. Our neighbor's have all been seeing the bear around us and in our yard. Keeping the doors closed and lock, the trash can not go out at night. Bird feeders have to come down too, my hummingbird feeder was knock down. I hope the mama bear with cubs stays safe. I love seeing the moose, we saw some in the Rocky Mtn park. Of course all wildlife needs to be respected and given their space. The deer are adorable, love the spotted fawn. Great collection of critter photos. Love the sky and the rainbow images. Take care, have a great day and a wonderful week.
Pat,
What an amazing place! We get some wildlife neighbors but nothing quite as alarming as moose or bear...yet. There has been bear sightings in the city but usually it's just a lone wonderer. I'm sure the poor thing just followed his senses looking for food. The largest animal we've seen in our yard is a deer but that's only been one time and I was surprised when our security camera detected him. Have a boogietastic week!
Amazing wildlife in your 'backyard', Pat. One would hope people would be wise about their trash and feeder habits. Cool shots of the moose. Stay safe. Happy new week to you!
I'd like to see wildlife but know that govt entities would probably kill them. It makes me sad. About the bears, it makes me angry that people aren't trying to do better at preventing the garbage can raid which endangers the bears - especially the mama and kids.
Wow! So many bears in your pictures. The upper Peninsula of michigan has bears also, but I have only seen traces of their presence.Sometimes the branches of the service berry tree are pulled down and broken. Occasionally there is a posting of a bear at a bird feeder. Thanks for sharing so many wildlife pictures!
I'm #57 at the pit stop.
...I've heard of golf ball size hail, but baseball? I like wildlife, but not leaving nose prints on the windows! Pat you live in a beautiful area, have a great week.
Yikes! That is some really large hail. We have had lots and lots of storms but thankfully they have only dropped rain. I have heard of some bear sightings in our area but haven't yet seen any ourself.
You really do have an abundance of wildlife there! We have black bears here and they do love to get into the garbage cans. Love the sky photo and all the beauty from CO!
People should take better care of their trash so it doesn't attract the bears. Great photos of the wildlife and that huge cloud is amazing to see. Have a wonderful new week.
Great post we don't get anything like that here in central London heheh! I would run a mile heheh! loved it was interesting too :-)
Have a beartastic week 👍
Oh my goodness!! Do people get attacked? Imagine looking out the wiindow and seeing the Mumma and cubs?!?!? Great photos. What an insight for us in bearless country!! #WWoAT
They may be thicker than the rabbits and ducks around our neighborhood. They and alligators are a part of our protected species list. The rabbits are cute but we cant plant flowers that rabbits eat. We have a mama duck who spends her mornings in our yard while there is shade under our tree, then she goes accros the street when their grass is shaded. She has a nest in the neigbors second story flower box. We live near Katy, TX, a Houston subburb, to its west
We can't by law interfere with the ducks or alligators. The game commission can"t move them unless they get mean or the alligator is over 12 feet long.
Thanks for all the bear photos, Mrs. Jim and I enjoyed seeing them.
I know we have rattlesnakes in our area as our son has killed some in his yard. Folks spot coyotes and bobcats on the walking trails in his neighborhood. But no moose or bears. Maybe a longhorn and always deer can be spotted. Nothing like the momma bear and cubs. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos of all creation.
So many critters!! We get a lot of wildlife visitors but I haven't seen a bear. There have been sightings in the area and I always worry about the bears. That hail is crazy!!
Very informative. You have really covered the subject very well. Hope it reaches a wide audience as so many people are not properly "Bear Aware."
How amazing to see so much impressive wildlife around your area.
I loved seeing the bears "on the move" as ours in lower Texas are in zoos. We have mostly alligators, ducks, and bunny rabbits. Of course all kimds of birds, a lot migrating north from Mexico and further to rest, some breed and baby here, on their ways further north. I have learned to talk with the mocking birds perched from the rooves.
I see you have a Blue Monday entry also.
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We have fairly infrequent sightings of bears in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, but nothing like in your photos! Wow!
Thanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2023/08/wordy-wednesday-this-week.html, and stay safe!
Great set of pictures. Thank you so much for sharing.
Oh my goodness, is that what they call heaven on earth? It's all so beautiful and the clouds are awesome & the animals do they come up to you so you can feed them/pet them??? Wow, and that one picture with that awesome cloud.... I had a cousin who was a sheriff out your way... I haven't talked to him in many years, but I heard that's where he moved & now I see why! It's beautiful. Thank you so very much for sharing! hugs
Wow!!! What a wildlife activity around you.
Wow! We don't have bears that close.
The hail is enormous and I hope you have no damage on the house, on the car ... and of course you and your Family is well. That`s most relevant.
The Bear nearby the house is an adventure in a own way. They are hungry. I couldn`t say what we I must do in such a situation. Is there a ranger?
An interesting post indeed ... I enjoyed reading very much. Thank you for sharing at
MosaicMonday
Hugs by Heidrun
I certainly wouldn't want a bear hanging around my house!
Love all the wild in your area. Yes bears should be handled with care and although we have had our share over the years at the previous place we resided its still best to avoid them as far as possible.
Thank you for sharing your links with us at #273 SSPS Linky. See you again next week.
The rainbow is the perfect way to wrap up such a jam packed nature post. Da bears are everywhere! So many cute critters on your mountain. And that cloud looks explosive!
The occasional bear that wanders though here gets shot....Glad that people can learn to be safe with wildlife...
Wow that's a lot of bears.
I've never seen hail that large. That could do some serious damage! Bears and moose are scary, just given their size. I'm reading The Revenant right now. It will make you think twice about wandering around in bear country!
Wow, you would think people would pay attention to the rules about garbage cans, bird feeders and such. We all love wildlife but we don't need them getting used to getting food from humans.
I read that moose are considered more dangerous than bears by some people. My Idaho mountain woman mother always said she was lots more wary of moose than bears.
I live in Southern Oregon, and we get bears around town a few times a year. One young one wanted into a Rite Aid. The news will warn residents that "There's a bear in a tree..." and the authorities wait a bit to see if gets down on its own, but they still need to remove them (safely and alive!) since it's in downtown residential areas. The open spaces aren't far, they just took wrong turns.
Reminds me of "Hank the Tank" in California who turned out to be "Henrietta the Tank." :-)
Your summer sounds wonderful -- especially in comparison with a few of those states to the south of you. It's been hotter than usual for Oregon and we need rain, but also not too bad in comparison...
I absolutely adore those bear pictures and all the rest of your wildlife.
So wonderfu! though hope everybody is following the wise advice about food, doors etc....I hate to hear about animals having to be euthanized because of people being careless.
A lot of critters around you.
Hail that large we have not seen here.
Those bear photos are amazing -- and downright frightening, in some cases The only place I've ever seen bears "on the loose" is at the dump where it used to be good entertainment to go watch them sort through the trash. Some of those pix are remarkable. (I do love your deer and the fox!)
Wow, how cool yet scary to see bears so close.
Thanks for sharing your link at My Corner of the World this week!
Oh my. I live in Pennsylvania but have a lot of family in Colorado, I'm hoping their aware, I would think anyway. I find your information really helpful even from over here.
Visiting today from Encouraging Hearts & Home #29&30.
I invite you to join me at my place for my monthly Sweet Tea & Friends Link up (#29)
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