Copyright ©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I went to see the Kokanee Salmon that are migrating upstream right now in South Lake Tahoe last Friday. I was hoping to see a bear since I just got butt shots of one the last time I went to see this migration back in 2010.
We saw salmon schools and some swimming around the creek, but no bears while we were there so, we went to look for fall color, have lunch, and return for the late afternoon, early evening and maybe see a bear come to the creek to eat.
We got lucky and a young black bear did come by to eat! It got really exciting for several seconds when the bear wanted to get up on the deck I and quite a few observers were on and cross to the other side. This is how close I was. Right at the very edge of my focusing limit…too close! I and everyone else backed up and the bear hopped up on the bridge and I was still too close so we backed up more and the bear walked across the bridge and into the woods.
It looked like it was heading back to the creek but near the other bridge so, I made for that and sure enough, the bear went up on a huge beaver dam and started hunting for something to eat. It didn’t fish. I wonder if it didn’t learn that skill?
That’s my bear tale. It was pretty exciting and neat seeing it.
I hope you’re all having a lovely week!
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Circadianreflections Blog 
WOW! That does look close and dangerous! We’ve had a bear visiting eating all the pinion nuts below our trees. After about a foot of snow (already) I believe they are probably hibernating now.
Oh, how cool to see them in your yard, but then again…not so much!
We have pinion nuts in the market right now. First time I’ve ever seen them. They’re so expensive! I tried a couple. They’re okay raw. I wonder if they’re better roasted?
It could have been dangerous, but fortunately it just wanted across the bridge and went on its merry way.
Hopefully they are headed that way…for a long winter’s nap!
Wow that was close! We saw 1 black bear when we went to Yellowstone & he was just off the highway. We didn’t even stop. We had bear spray with us when hiking in remote areas.
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Wow! A little too close for me! 😮 Your photos are spectacular as always!! ❤️
Thank you so much, Jill! 😀
Wow! Close encounter! The bear looks curious about the “deck people”. I wonder why. I’ve come across a few black bears while hiking in the woods. We’ve looked at each other and kept our distance. I think they’re only a threat if they don’t have enough wild food and are interested in your snacks or if you get too close to a mother with cubs. Luckily, the only time I’ve seen cubs, my friend and I spotted them from far away uphill and we chose a different path to get down.
I wonder what the bear was doing in the area and why it wasn’t fishing. What was it looking for… Thanks for the interesting story! 😊
Thanks for sharing your bear tale Myriam! I’ve seen a mama and two cubs in Yosemite National Park and thankfully, they were way down the hill and I was up the hill near my car.
It was looking for food, but not fishing. I have heard if they don’t learn that from their mama they don’t fish. It only rummaged around the two beaver dams. Perhaps there’s something more tasty than fish as far as that bear is concerned? Still such a neat thing to see.
So exciting! The bear was like, “What are you weird animals doing on my bridge??”
Such beautiful animals. A bit close for comfort though😏
How exciting, with a little scary sprinkled in. Terrific photos, Deborah.
Oh wow. Beautiful photos. You were so close to that bear, I’m glad you didn’t get eaten, especially as he’s not into fish 🙂
That is SO EXCITING! Wow.
It was that! 😀
Have I told you my bear story? When I was a girl we lived in northern CA in rural towns. Blocks had been carved out but were still wild, filled with berry canes. Mmmmm…..So as a little girl I’d go off to find berries. On one occasion I happened to look up from my intense focus on berries to see that I had a bear companion, also intent on eating berries. YIKES! I got out of there in a (very cautious) hurry!
No, you didn’t tell me! Oh man, what a story! Did you drop your berries or they escaped with you? I’m so glad you got away!
Teehee, I was pretty much stuffing them in as I found them. I routinely had a purple face when I was a child 😀 Thank you~my thought too when I saw your photo, was how thankful you were safe!
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Uuuu! I think I’d be hoping to not see one! 😀 But I suppose you know exactly what to do if it comes after you… I don’t. Play dead? Talk to it? Hm…. Run?
The key is to not surprise or startle it in the first place and it didn’t seem bothered at all by the people there. I suppose it’s been coming there since it was born for fishing season. Back up was what my brain said, so I did it!
Great pics! And how nice to be able to get a closer look at the bear from the safety of my comfortable chair …
LOL! I have a friend in Canada that gets the most amazing bear images, and I think exactly what you do, “Thankfully, I’m in my desk chair viewing this!”
Thanks so much, Paul for the visit and comment.
Now that’s an exciting tale!! I haven’t been that up close and personal with a bear. Nor do I want to be!! I love the photos that you’ve captured.
Thank you, Amy! I don’t want to be that close either, the distance to the beaver dam was much more comfortable for me!
Wow! Scary! And nice shots!
Thank you, Sue!
Great shot but wowsa! You’ve got steady nerves to manage this one. Neato.
My stomach fell out when it jumped on the fence, so no nerves of steel here! It was neat to see.
Yikes – this would be one time when up-close-and-personal wouldn’t work for me!! I’d need to change my underwear afterwards 😉
Great shots though, Deborah. I wouldn’t have the presence of mind to keep on shooting. I’d be too busy gawking!!
Thank you, Joanne! My stomach dropped to the floor when it came up to the bridge and wanted up! That was too close, but when it crossed over and got to the beaver dam that was far enough away that I felt reasonably safe.
I did a fair amount of gawking and not shooting too. 😀
Sometimes you just have to live in the moment and forget the camera. I finally saw my first deer with antlers while out hiking one day with Helen. While she was hissing at me to use my camera (in my hands!), I just stood there and savoured the moment.
Totally right there with you! There are those treasured moments when the camera doesn’t even enter you mind. Been there!
I bet that buck was a beauty!
Such a beautiful animal. Great shots, especially that close up. I agree, it took courage.
No courage, just being in the right spot at the right time. I couldn’t back up fast enough when it wanted to hop on the bridge! That was too close for me too. The distance from me and the beaver dam where I last photographed the bear was the perfect safe distance for me.
Of course if it got mad and ran at us it wouldn’t have been. It’s wild after all. I’m counting my blessings that everyone there was respectful and mindful of that.
It’s a beautiful shot, I think worthy of the National Geographic.
Oh, thank you, Robert! I’m going to float on that all. day! 😀
Now I will too. 🙂
Fun story and photos. I love your adventuresome spirit to go out looking for different photos and new challenges.
Thank you so much, Robert! Looking for wildlife to photograph is always fun, and they’re so beautiful it keeps me wanting to go out and see what I can see.
Aren’t you brave?!? Gosh, that’s a neat sighting, but I’m sure glad you had it for me 🙂
Oh no, not brave. I didn’t expect to hop up on the bridge! I don’t think anyone did! My stomach dropped. The beaver dam was the perfect distance for me.
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Awesome bear tale, Deborah! Wow, what an experience. I have yet to see a bear in the wild and want to!
I hope you get to see one, just not as close as that. The distance from me to that beaver dam was perfect. 😀
I love the beary-tale, Deborah — and your photos! Maybe he smelled something to scavenge and took the easier way to a meal. Hugs on the wing!
Thank you so much, Teagan! You’re probably right because when it was upstream more in another pile of logs and sticks it found something to eat. I was just hoping to see it fishing for salmon instead I got to close to it when it decided to hop on the bridge. I’m counting my blessings.
Glad to see the bear just crossed the bridge and left you alone. Too close for comfort.
Me too! The beaver dam was good enough for me.
I like my bears like this – in photos. I can’t say I’ve ever had a desire to see one up close and personal. Can you say ‘chicken’? Great shots. 🙂
I was chicken too! I was more comfortable when it was a safe distance away, but it changed course and there it was.
Amazing! Don’t think I would like to be that close to Yogi!
I hear you! I was giving it all the space it needed after that.
That indeed was close! Wasn’t it dangerous?
It was. It could have been dangerous. Thankfully, it all turned out fine because we moved and gave it the space it needed.
That’s more than close enough, Deborah. I’m glad you got to see him, even if he wasn’t up for fishing. I’m looking forward to Deborah’s wilderness series 🙂
Hahaha! Wilderness series. Don’t give me any ideas! 😂 It was indeed close! I never expected it to hop on the bridge!
Wonderful!
Thank you, Cindy! It was pretty neat.