First Bears of the Season

[jimroth]

Here is the our first 2009 bear sighting here in Rockaway. That bear looks too small to be the mother of three cubs...

But look at those, uh, bear teats. That's the momma alright.

Time to take down the ground birdfeeder, I guess...

MINE!

Hey, where's Mom go?

Green birdfeeder, I just can't quit you...

C'mon, you guys!

We never leave a bear behind!

 

[Phyl]

Wow. Those are way too close for comfort! Holy cow (bear?!)!

 

[Tazmaniancowboy]

Wow that must be a sight. Nice shots. My kids go nuts avery day when they see the deer in our yard, I can't imagine how crazy the'd get with bear in the yard!

Taz
PS, just wondering, do you welcome them or are they a nuisance?

 

[debfife]

They are so cute. Can you send them to my yard please????

 

[jimroth]

Wow that must be a sight. Nice shots.  My kids go nuts avery day when they see the deer in our yard, I can't imagine how crazy the'd get with bear in the yard!

Taz
PS, just wondering, do you welcome them or are they a nuisance?

I love to see them, but they are a nuisance. We have to use a specially modified garbage can, or they take out they garbage and make a huge mess. They have wrecked several birdfeeders, as you might guess. They drive the dog nuts, he starts howling, usually around 5AM.

We use a slingshot or starter pistol if we want them to skedaddle. Banging pots and pans doesn't work anymore!

 

[RobbiesReef]

thats great! i never understood the "bear hunt" that jersey justified by saying there are too many bears. ive lived in nj over 32 years and never saw a bear in the wild. "we" moved into their territory, so we MUST learn to live WITH these beautiful creatures! after all, ive had to learn to live with certain individuals that can be considered a nuisance...lol
great shots!

 

[jimroth]

thats great! i never understood the "bear hunt" that jersey justified by saying there are too many bears. ive lived in nj over 32 years and never saw a bear in the wild. "we" moved into their territory, so we MUST learn to live WITH these beautiful creatures! after all, ive had to learn to live with certain individuals that can be considered a nuisance...lol
great shots!

I don't really know what the deal is with the bears. "We" may have moved into their territory, but "we" lived there for 12 years before we saw a doggone bear!!! What happened, is it the decline of hunting? I understand that seals (the water version of bears) are now breeding in NJ, is mother nature just socking it to us? Some response to climate change? We never had seals here when I was growing up....

 

[Baxreefs]

I've been looking out in the back yard every morning, but have yet to see a bear this year here in Bloomingdale. It'll happen. We enjoy seeing them especially the mothers and cubs. The loan males can be problematic and you really have to maintain your garbage or they are tearing into it, especially the males.

We get bear, deer, coyote, fox, and even bob cat. And, there's always a hawk chowing down on a chipmunk or rabbit up in the trees ever so often.

I've never seen a seal on the jersey shore, but I go to the same house every year and we see many many more dolphin each year and even whales are spotted with much more regularity. The resurgence of bait fish along the shore is astounding on LBI.

 

[jimroth]

I've been looking out in the back yard every morning, but have yet to see a bear this year here in Bloomingdale. It'll happen. We enjoy seeing them especially the mothers and cubs. The loan males can be problematic and you really have to maintain your garbage or they are tearing into it, especially the males.

We get bear, deer, coyote, fox, and even bob cat. And, there's always a hawk chowing down on a chipmunk or rabbit up in the trees ever so often.

I've never seen a seal on the jersey shore, but I go to the same house every year and we see many many more dolphin each year and even whales are spotted with much more regularity. The resurgence of bait fish along the shore is astounding on LBI.

I've seen all those except the bobcat. Always want to see one. Have you seen one? We don't have porcupines, but I've seen them in the Del. Water Gap.

I know what you mean about dophins, I was watching a pod of about 20 from my hotel balcony in Va Beach last week. In Rehoboth Del. you can actually swim out and get fairly close to them. They seem to be making a resurgence!

 

[Baxreefs]

I did not see the bob cat myself, but it was spotted in a neighbors yards twice in one week.

Off LBI you cans see pods of well over 100 dolphin now days. We used to lay on the beach and get all excited when one or two would come by every couple of days. Now it's and hourly occurrence. The house we rent has an elevated deck right on the dune and we watch them during cocktail hour virtually every afternoon. 8)

 

[JerseyWendy]

OMG they are SO cute and cuddly-looking, Jim. ;D

In all honesty, I'd be afraid for my dog though because I know they can take one out (even my size dog) with no efforts.

Bax, please send some of your hawks my way, as I'm getting tired of trapping squirrels and chipmonks. The lonely Kestrel I saw about a month ago ended up flying into our neighbors window.

 

[Baxreefs]

The last two springs in a row, I 've seen up to three pairs of Red Tails in the air, right over my house, doing areal combat over territory! That's pretty cool to watch!

There's lots of open space right around my house including a golf course that backs right up to my yard and a park with large pond right on my block. There's also a sparsely populated lake comunity only a couple of blocks away with lot of open space and a huge lake! So there are many critters!