Too Cold, Too Hot, Just Right

Rub-a-dub-dub, 3 bears in a tub -

Errr - make that 4 bears.

Or maybe 5.

It was a truly hot summer in CA, with the Central Valley, Sierra Foothills and Tehachapi Mountains seeing many days with peak temps of over 100 degrees.

During one such spell in late June, I happened to have a trail cam on a cattle trough in the Tehachapis, to see how the wildlife might be using it.


Cattle watering hole in Tehachapi Mountains. Moultrie trail camera on bank in upper left.

And while I expected to catch bears, I didn't expect them to enjoy the tin can pond quite so much. At least 4, maybe 5 different bears showed up in a 2 week period. Their 7 visits are below.

visit #1- Junior Brown
The first bear passed by on a cool morning. A smaller, juvie bear - maybe a cub in 2011, or 10.






"Naw - too cold"

visit #2 - Big Shaggy
The next bear dove right in. 85 degrees at 7:26 in the evening - must have been a scorcher of a day. A big, shaggy black bear. Perhaps this is also our upright Fred Astaire Bear?




"Oh - you again"

visit #3 - Junior Brown again
On Junior Brown's second visit he/she also thought the water just right. At 110 degrees out, I would too. Guessing that reading is a bit high, btw. The cam is in full sun, near the ground.


"Ouch, oooow, aaaa, eeeee..."


"Aaahhhhhhh..."

visit #4 - Big Shaggy again
Bear visit #4 is Big Shaggy again. But just for a drink.







visit #5 - Sleek Sable
A new bear showed one toasty afternoon the day after summer solstice. Like Junior Brown, also a smaller 2nd-ish year juvenile. I think. But sleek and sable black. And perhaps looking at another bear that's beyond the camera's view.





visit #6 - Junior Brown again?
Visit #6 was a quick dip that gave only a single photo. Maybe Junior Brown again? Or a new bear? (which, as you'll see next, would make it a 5th bear)



visit #7 - Big Chocolate
Bear visit #7 is definitely another new bear - a big, chocolate brown adult. That really enjoyed the late morning spa time.


"Summertime, and the living's easy..." "Testing, testing... is this thing on?"




"Badump, badump, badump..."



Good way to get to know your bears.

Of course, there were also auditions for the part of rubber duckie.

But I'll save those for another post.

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References:

• Nature of a Man (this blog) - An Upright Character
• Nature of a Man (this blog) - posts on cam trapping the Tehachapis

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