Shadow at feeder - July 6Another wonderful day with wonderful people and wonderful bears. Ursula was a joy, as usual. A special treat was Samantha and her two remaining blue-eyed cubs—a male and a female, growing fast. Another treat was seeing 2-year-old Sophie, growing up. We haven’t seen her for nearly two years. Last evening, we got a call from a community feeding station to come quickly to see 27-year-old Shadow, the matriarch of the clan.
2-year-old SophieThroughout today, wildlife large and small caught our eyes and lenses. As the sun rose, it lit the mouth of a croaking raven. 
One of Samantha's cubBy midday, painted turtles were everywhere laying eggs yet, but we didn’t see any snapping turtles.
As we passed by a fawn on shore, it paused for a look at us in the pontoon boat before bounding off.
UrsulaA mallard family ignored us in the boat and continued foraging. As the ducklings leaped up in the water to grasp shoreline leaves, the mother and family taught us something we never knew. 
Mallard family with crayfishThe mother tipped up and put her head under water and came up with a crayfish. We didn’t know they ate them. Immediately, 7 of her 9 ducklings mobbed her for it. We’re not sure they got any from her before she swallowed it. Then they were on their way tightly bunched together.
Loons came up from their dives right beside the boat or just ahead of it as we crept along without a wake. Cameras clicked.
LoonWhen we 
Fishing spiderfinally came in to the dock, a big fishing spider was resting on a lily pad. From there it was supper and more bears. A great day with Lily Fans in the Black Bear Field Study Course!
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.