Bear Family: Part II

Remember that kids song about the cat that kept coming back?

Goes something like "Oh the cat came back the very next day...."

Well...Momma Bear and her three cubs came back today...twice. The first time was around 10 AM. The second time was around 7:30 PM. The first time, she stashed the cubs up the pine tree on the other side of the power line. I tried to make her uncomfortable, but sjhe pretty much ignored me with the knowledge 1) that her babies were safe, 2) she could easily beat me to that tree if I was foolish enough to try anything, and 3) she was about to have some quiet time to herself and a few sunflower seeds as an added bonus.

I made enough of a ruckus that she finally gave up (especially on the quiet time to herself) and went and sat at the base of the pine. I didn't hear her issue any command, but the cubs came scurrying down backwards and they all went off into the woods.

At 7:30 PM I stepped out on the deck to enjoy the cool breeze and heard leaves rustling up the hill behind the house. And here comes Momma with the three in tow. She sat when I yelled and the cubs looked at and climbed a short distance up the big pine in that direction, but their little hearts weren't in it. The son came down and joined Momma. I thought they would then head off into the woods, but this time Momma lead the three out onto the lawn and they all went to investigate the sunflower seed spillage under the deck.

I took advantage of the exposure of the family and snapped the photos below. But I also tried to convince them to get out of here with a few yells and shouts. The cubs took off for the pine on the edge of the powerline to the northwest and Momma followed. But she, at least, returned when I came inside.

It was funny to watch. The cubs would run ahead of Momma about five feet and suddenly stop dead still and look around as if to say, "Ooops!" and then fall in on Momma's heels once again.