Mountain lions, coyotes and bears, oh my!

[johnNjeri]

I was wondering if anybody has some clever or interesting animal stories they'd like to share pertaining to living in WW. I don't know if mountain lions are around, but I know we have plenty of racoons, coyotes and (as this forum reported) bears. Probably lots of snakes too. I love the Stellers Jays and Scrub Jays too, and ofcourse all those other cheerful birds we routinely see (and hear!).

I notice a lot of "missing pets" signs around, and was wondering if some wild creatures are devouring them. I guess its a reminder to keep a close watch on our beloved pets.

Has anyone ever seen big horn sheep around these parts? I saw the buffalo pictures from LPC and thought they were interesting. Surreal, actually.

I saw a big coyote in my driveway on LPC and wondered if others would like to share the beauty of wildlife that abounds around us here in WW.

[KW]

I had a dream last night that a skunk came in through the doggy door and stunk up my whole house... does that count?  

KW

[TumbleBush]

Two years ago I was in my backyard and heard some ravens raising a ruckus. I looked up at the hillside and saw them diving at something moving thru the brush. I thought maybe it was just a coyote with a fresh kill (or some tasty trash morsels) and decided to think nothing of it. But then I started hearing a strange sound that almost made my hair stand on end. I went in and got my binoculars and focused in on the action. It was a beautiful mountain lion that was getting rather frustrated by two ravens trying to steal some tid bits from his kill (which looked to be a desert hare). I was elated! I never thought I would ever get to see a lion in the wild. I watched him somewhere around an hour or so before he decide enough was enough and he headed up and out of site never to be seen again. Although I know my chances are slim at getting another sighting like this, I know they are out there. Every once in a while when I go hiking, I will come across tracks.
I love living here and watching the native wildlife that abounds us.  

[clint]

Big Horn Sheep were fairly common above highway two up around the tunnels and the Sim Jarvey lookout. I'm not sure how the Curve Fire will effect their habits. I've found bear tracks - small ones - up above the Methodist camp at the top of Elm and seen bear run across the road in lower Lone Pine Canyon.

[TumbleBush]

Actually I remember reading something a while back that they were going to do a prescribed burn to promote grazing land for the big horn sheep. Don't look like they'll need to do that now.

[TumbleBush]

[WWRatOut]

This Sunday September 22 around 1 in the afternoon I saw an extremely large bobcat lope leisurely across the road just east of the post office there.... East of the abbey.... Where is that anyway?  Valyermo?  He went across the road there and then into the green fields where he just took his time, walking head and shoulders above the greenery, heading south.  I have seen bobcats before but this one seemed to be HUGE.  Not worried about us at all.  It was a beautiful thing to see.  

[johnNjeri]

Thanks to the wild life lovers and their very interesting stories! I hadn't even considered bobcats...

On two separate occasions I've been lucky enough to spot Big Horn Sheep at the top of Mt. Baldy. In one instance, I saw four young ones together. Regal creatures.

Does anyone know of any Bald Eagles in the area?

[asmith47]

We have seen a bobcat crossing the road at the bottom of hwy 2 near 138, late at night.

When we first moved in, a very fat and sassy badger and our dog got into a growling match through the fence. If it weren't for the fence I think the badger would have gotten the better of our fairly tough dog. It was an impressive animal.

[TumbleBush]

Does anyone know of any Bald Eagles in the area?

I haven't spotted one in this area yet although there are a few Golden Eagles around. Silverwood Lake area during certain times of the year you can spot Bald Eagles.

[oldsub]

Actually, I have a number of critter tales. I'll start with the ravens. ( I am quite a Poe fan).
We didn't have ravens up here until the great meat loaf heist of "98. It seems I cooked a four pound meatloaf badly in early November.It was kind of a huge sloppy joe. I threw it into a tupperware and shoved it into the back, bottom of the refrigerator. In December, I moved. I left the meatloaf in the old place. Finally, I fetched it. I threw it, tupperware and all ,into the trash. Bad move--real Tupperware is not cheap. I dumped the elderly, ripe meatloaf in the yard, and left the tupperware outside, full of water. The next morning I heard ravens FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WRIGHTWOOD. two of them had moved the four pound, ripe meatloaf a good 10 yards , into the street to pretend it was roadkill. Ravens have visited Wrightwood, ever since.

[love2board]

Their is a baby bobcat hanging out in sawmill canyon.  Saw him again today.  Awesome looking animal.

[naturalist]

We saw a bobcat walk right through the Outdoor School at the Methodist Camp 2 weeks ago, strutting leisurely, not caring that about 50 excited 6th graders were following it!  

I've seen lots of bear scat, had a bear get into our compost once and our trash once, seen bear tracks, but not a bear up close and personal.

Bighorn sheep are often up on the landslide--you can just see moving dots with dust getting kicked up from town.  I've seen tracks and scat of bighorns up on top of the slide.

Lots and lots of coyotes all the time, usually cruising the street looking for stray pets (slow rabbits...)  And lots of times in the woods just passing through on business.  Find lots of kitty skulls out in the woods--coyote leftovers, most likely.

Cute little grey foxes abound--one raids our compost and apple trees daily.

Raccoons--the ones around here seem to have bobbed tails!  Mostly seen on trash days...

Friends found a mountain lion skull near Jackson Lake, and I've seen tracks, but no actual lions, but I'm pretty sure they've seen me!

No skunks around here--too high and cold in winter.

Golden Eagles pretty frequently--no Bald Eagles as they are water birds (like to eat fish).

Lots of snakes--my favorites are the mountain king snakes, and they are fairly common, along with rattlesnakes.

Lots more, of course... I'll report any really exciting sightings here from now on!

[clint]

On Bald Eagles.


The best place sort of near here for Eagle viewing is the East end of Big Bear Lake. They winter over there. They feed on Coots (Mud Hens) that freeze in the shallows.


Clint

[Leftfield]

My husband was driving down LPC raod early one a.m. and saw 2 condors.  We've seen bobcats, lots of coyotes of course, and raccoons.  There's a HUGE raccoon that roams Apple Ave.  Still looking for the buffalo that escaped on LPC.  I have heard of numerous mt. lion sightings but have yet to see one myself.  Love it here in WW with all the wildlife (human and otherwise)!

[naturalist]

Condors??  More likely they were Turkey Vultures.  They are still cool and very large, but there aren't too many condors and they are all way north and east of here.  Still, I suppose it's possible...

I keep a look out for those bison, too!!  OMG, I would hate for someone to hit one --think about how folks (me, too) speed down that road --at night, or even in daylight, hitting a bison would be pretty much fatal.  The bison would probably swish his tail and think it got a bug bite.  Yikes!  Bison don't respect fences, either, so unless they spent a fortune on fencing, those bison are going to be out more often than not.  Another good reason to watch our speed and drive more carefully!

[Mountain_Witch]

I just saw the cutest thing I think I've ever seen up here. I thought the chimpmunks were cute but this little guy took the cake.
A wood rat or aka the Pack Rat. He reminded me so much of a chinchilla and not some beady eyed rat that you would normaly think of.
If it wasn't for the fact that he was a wild creature, I think I would have kept him for a pet.  

[naturalist]

They ARE cute, aren't they?  Huge mickey mouse ears, large dark eyes, long whiskers, and even a slightly fluffy tail.  These rats are locals, not the naked-tailed Black or Norway Rats imported from Europe.  In fact, since they collect all kinds of interesting things in their nests, archaeologists and paleobotanists have been known to dissect old packrat nests to find out what was going on in the past--some of their nests can actually be thousands of years old!!  

[naturalist]

Of course, I wouldn't encourage this for currently occupied nests or even old ones without special knowledge or equipment--there is an insect associated with packrat nests that carries Tularemia, and of course breathing dried rodent fecies is NEVER a good idea with things like Hanta Virus around.  But they are still cute!

[Wrightwood]

Here's a dead rat that was found under the spa steps last may.