As the hills dry out we can hike the grassland benches above the river.   By late March this year, the first buttercups were out.

The grasses are flattened by the winter’s snow cover and the benchlands look barren, but all of the various plants will emerge in spring and with them the insect and animal life that feeds on the plants.

The gullies have a bit more moisture in them and safebrush, saskatoon, rabbit brush, and perennials grow in every available space.

There are few trees in the whole area so this is a warm walk when the sun is shining.   The ticks were out but we have our tick-check protocols to deal with any unwanted passengers.

We had heard about a bear’s den in one of the gullies so we cautiously looked for the claybank cave and found it.   We observed from a distance and used a long lens on the camera to capture an image of a mother bear and two young cubs.   We did not try to approach the den nor will we disclose the location to anyone else.   We want the cubs to have the best chance to grow and survive in this critical period of development.

The cubs will toddle out of the den at about 2-3 months and will weigh about 4 – 6 pounds.   They will stay with the mother bear for about 17 months before they are on their own in the following June.   We hope to go back to see their progress over the spring and will share images if we can.

As we return to the grassland benches in spring we will also spot coyotes, deer, marmots, field mice, bluebirds, meadowlarks, grasslands birds, and many insects..   The sandhill cranes will migrate overhead over a few days on their way to the Chilcotin.    Spring has arrived.

next post – hiking the Dewdrop Ridge Bluffs – April 10