An Unexpected Visitor

When you live in Alaska, sometimes you get unexpected visitors at your window.

I was sitting on my couch, right next to the window browsing the internet on my laptop. Suddenly, I heard a heavy SNIFF SNIFF from nearby. I looked at my windowsill where my cat was sitting and found a large snout pressed up against the screen. "Who's dog is that?!" I thought. Everyone in Alaska has large dogs as pets, so it would make sense to think a curious dog belonging to a neighbor was trying to take a peek inside my room. This was no dog. A young black bear was trying to climb inside! My cat was not happy about this. She poofed up larger than I have ever seen her and started growling. Then, without warning, she slapped the bear right across the face through the screen! I couldn't believe it! The bear, now mortified, turned around and ran back toward the safety of the forest.

These are the only photos I managed to get during the incident.

In this first one, you can see in the center of the photo, there is a bright patch of sunlight. In that patch, there is a light brown lump. That's the bear.

 I couldn't believe what I had just seen. This blurry image doesn't do it justice, but here's Kiwi all poofed up at the window.

My cat has become quite the Alaskan!

Well, since then, I've purchased a new telephoto lens! I just happened to have it in my car on the appropriate settings while driving home. As I approached my driveway, two cars were stopped in the road. They were letting something cross the street. THE BEAR!

I watched it trot back up the hill and proceeded to drive into the lot. There he was. All I had to do was roll down my window and hold down the shutter.

Despite the color of his fur, this is indeed a black bear. Black bears can have many different hair colors, just like us! This little guy is a blondie.

Yep.. that snout looks awfully familiar!

We believe this bear to be the cub of a large sow we saw last summer. She made me late for work while attempting to get into our dumpster with her two cubs. Once a cub gets to about this size, however, they're usually referred to as yearlings or juveniles. His mother isn't around to take care of him anymore. He's been kicked out and has to fend for himself now. 

Sprinting toward the lawn now.

Into a gallop.

And away he goes!

Hm.. I wonder if he'll be back for dinner....