We all know about the dolphins and whales that are beaching themselves and huge bird and fish die offs, but something really strange happened to me the other day. I was sitting in my upstairs window and noticed a mountain lion right next to the stream below my home! 
A half hour later a bear ambled down the same way to the stream and crossed over behind us! You have to understand, we do live in the mountains, but in a community of homes. Bears are not unheard of, certainly, and we have seen them before - but never a mountain lion! In fact, my father who was a big outdoorsman once mentioned that he had never seen a mountain lion in all his years in Nevada. To have both of these animals cross over within a half hour is very, very unusual.
Something else that was very strange happened a few months ago. There was several feet of snow on the ground and a Great Blue Heron landed on the stream, and after several minutes, caught a fish! It then walked up the bank and around the end of the unit of condos that we live in! I have never seen such a bird! And in the middle of the winter at 6,500 ft.? It came back a few weeks later but I didn't see it in time before opening our slider to let our dog out, and it flew off.
Strange, strange stuff going on in the animal world.
12 comments:
this is rather fascinating...perhaps they know more than we...they are more attuned to nature.
I too feel a little "off" and can't put my finger on why. Perhaps something is coming that we just haven't gotten to yet. Curious and a little frightening.
Brian - I'm sensing that you may very well be correct.
DJan - I agree. But I can feel it, too.
It's not a bad idea to trust the instincts of animals. They tend to sense things that we don't.
Hilary - I agree. I wonder whay they are trying to tell us??
Interesting. The easy explanations might be that we've encroached on animals' habitat, and that climate change is making life unpredictable for them. Some animals are migrating at their usual times and finding that their food supply is not ready in some years, or past ready in others.
Blissed - I think you are right. It is all topsy turvy for them. What is strange is that they seem to have lost their normal fear of humans. It is like their instincts have been deadened.
What sometimes people forget about is that ...sometmes these animals are second, third and fourth generation born in the "suburbs"...Where my mom lives in Sun City Az..on a small golf course that has been there for over 30 years there are coyotes that are not afraid of humans and that is because that is what they know...we really don't bother them. In fact, they look at small dogs as rabbits, I think. I have heard of coyotes walking the top of block fences and jumping down to get a small dog...to them it is just another rabbit.
ain't for City Gals - Yes, I agree about coyotes - we had them on the golf course in our last house. I have also heard of mountain lions being seen near urban areas. I have never seen one, however. It just feels very strange to see these animals and birds so close together. We've had this place for over ten years and have only seen bears a couple of times - never mountain lions or Great Blue Herons. It could be coincidence - but it doesn't feel like it.
Great post. Glad u mentioned this strangeness with lion and bear!
Where the heck are you?! :)
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