Flowers and Bears - Oh my

Big ol' Grizzly Paw. Grr. This block scares the shit out of me; I once saw a Grizzly (perhaps this very one...) eating a young black bear here. Quite the experience. Apparently, male black bears will kill the young of females to make them go into estrous again so that they can breed with the female: the definition of spreading your seed, I suppose. Anyway, and the Grizzly we saw was highly likely eating the remains of this charming ritual.

Lupinus spp.

Apparently several lupines are known to have caused fatal poisoning in animals, so all species should be considered poisonous; apparently the moose (?) like to graze the tender tips of these lupins in the Nass Valley (Nisga'a Core Lands). In this picture there is also some fireweed (Epilobium anustifolium) and bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum).

It's always a real treat when my plot includes a bird's nest, especially when it contains eggs. The two structures amaze me: Can you imagine how long it must take for the little bird to gather up snippets of twigs and grass to form a bed for its progeny? And, how does mother nature make sure a perfectly thin and beautifully rounded shell to protect the growing embryo? So cool.