[red momma pulling grass toward den entrance]
Brian sent me a CD of all 213 photos taken of Red Momma and the two cubs (black and pale cinnamon), and I just compiled the data.
The three bears were active at the den for three days (Nov 4 – 6), and then retired inside (Nov 7), where I presume they are napping now.
November 4th and 6th were workdays.
On the 4th they first appeared at 2:54 in the afternoon. They went in and out of the den several times until 3:06. Then the black cub and mother pulled bundles of grass into the den for 6 minutes, and disappeared.
They were back 5 hours later. Black cub went into the den, and mother resumed dragging grass to the den. After getting it down the hole she rested in the entrance for an hour.
Shortly after midnight, the pale cub -- who had contributed nothing to building the nest -- left the den.
[the slacker, after its nap]
Mom periodically lounged in the entrance looking out into the starlit night until 5:00AM.
[starry eyes and bear thoughts]
She wasn’t photographed again until 11 o’clock the next night. There was no action during the day.
The next night was the same – mom lounged on and off in the entrance, and all three were absent most of the day.
They started nest building again on the 6th around 3:15PM, and work ended just before 6 o’clock.
[the pale slacker tries to back down into the den with mother in the way -- she didn't yield]
The camera recorded an ear or a paw moving in the den entrance 12 times during the next 24 hours.
[one leg up in the den]
Then Brian pulled the memory stick, and replaced it with a new one. We're not expecting much activity at the site for a few months.
In summary, the bears started nest building shortly after they arrived at the den, worked late in the afternoon, and were not seen in daylight before that. At night the mother seems to have alternated between dozing and star-gazed in the den entrance.
The pale cub seems to be a slacker. Not a single frame showed it pulling grass.
Any opinions as to what sex it might be?
