Well, its been quite a long time since I've posted an entry to my blog. Too busy I guess, and I don't like writing all that much.

But da Bear has struck again!

Two times since spring I've woken up to the sight of my bird feeders on the ground, the poles bent or broken by what must have been a large animal (I don't think the squirrels could do it, try as they might). I always presumed it was a bear, and when I mentioned this down at the local feed store, they said that a neighbor less than two miles from Heron Pond had pictures of a bear in their yard, so it seems like a good assumption. Two miles is nothing for a bear.

Both times I thought, "why didn't he have the common decency to strike during the day, when I could at least get some photographs?"

So I have gotten into the habit of bringing the feeders in each evening. Of course, I would forget sometimes. I've gone out well after dark with a headlamp and a weapon of sorts (one of my heavy duty wooden driveway marking stakes with a nice point on the end) to collect the feeders, hoping the bear wasn't nearby. On a couple of occasions I'd see glowing eyes off in the woods watching me...probably one of the raccoons we see from time to time.

So yesterday, I'm working in my home office, as usual. Its late afternoon and I glance out the window at my feeder, and there it is! I quickly called Lisa to come to the window, grabbed my camera (which is almost always ready to go...but that's another story) I fired off a couple of shots before we scared it away. After all, the poles were already wrecked...I didn't want the tube feeder destroyed too.

We looked out back at the feeders there, and he'd already cleaned them out too.

While I was getting ready to go bring in the remnants, he came back again. This time we seem to have scared him away for good, or at least for a while.

Anyway, here are a few shots of the little rascal.

Nice of him to stand up straight so I could see how big he really is. I'm guessing 5 feet tall or so.

Hmmm...let me see...this looks like a fine vintage! 

Yum! Its excellent!

Now I have to try to come up with a more bear-proof setup.