Bear There

Saturday morning brought a surprise in the form of a bear in the back yard. I spied him from the kitchen window and raced for the camera.

The animal was moving fast, and I ended up going outside to get photos. The first shot I took through the kitchen window, but the rest I snapped as the bear went down the driveway and then into the neighbor's woods.

When I downloaded the photos, I realized the bear has something stuck to its mouth. At first, I thought it was drool, but I enlarged the photos and determined it to be something like surgical tape or something along those lines.

I checked with the local wildlife authorities to be sure the bear would be ok and was told that so long as the item wasn't over the bear's head, it would likely rub against a tree to remove whatever was sticking to it.

The tape didn't catch my gaze when I was taking photos because the bear was full of ticks and I was noticing those instead. Otherwise, the animal looks fairly healthy, not a lot of mange, anyway.

 

Early Morning Bear

I overslept this morning. I did not get up until about 7:15, which is late for me. After I put on my robe, I slipped into my office to turn on my computer. I also looked out the window, as I often do.

The day was gray and overcast, with rain. I could see the mist and drizzle, the water making the grass grow almost before my eyes. I also saw something large and black heading up the side of the hill toward the oak trees. At first, I thought it was a cow, since we are presently pasturing them near the house. But I quickly realized it was a black bear.

I called for my husband. "There's a bear!"

The animal was moving fast. This bear was not moseying. It was heading towards its destination with purpose.

The black fur stood in stark contrast to the green pasture. I was so busy admiring the animal, I did not grab a camera. This bear had no mange and obviously was healthy. It was also quite large, one of the biggest bears I've seen in a while.

It trudged swiftly up the hill and onto the knoll. For a moment, it sniffed around an oak, and I began to grab a camera, but it moved on and then disappeared out of sight into the woods.

Even a gray morning can shine when it begins with something wild and wonderful.

This was not the bear we saw this morning.
I took this picture of a bear in 2021.

*This post was written by me in its entirety.

Two Bear Sitings

This morning about 9 a.m. as I was loading the dishwasher, a bear passed by the kitchen window. I raced for my camera, but the bear had moved on behind my husband's truck.

I crept outside to see if I could see him. He heard me, and raced off into the woods so fast I could not get a photo.

Then at dinner, as we were eating, I was watching a little spike buck through the patio doors. Suddenly, he spooked. I got up.

"The buck ran from something, maybe it's a bear," I told my husband.

I went to the kitchen window. "OMG, it IS a bear!" I said.

He got up to look and I raced for the camera.

This time, I was able to get photos. This is not the same bear from this morning. That bear was larger, had a heavier coat, and bigger feet.

I took the first three shots through the garage door window. As you can see, he is the gravel in the driveway, so I wasn't far from him. When I took this last shot of the bear in the woods, I was standing outside with the camera. I moved outside as he turned his back to me and went towards the woods.

I was about 30 feet away from him, I guess.

A Visitor

This guy showed up yesterday evening after dinner.

He was curious.

Definitely not afraid.

He was covered with ticks.

He just kept coming closer.

And then he was on the patio!

He probably weighs 125 pounds or so.

Probably a male tossed out by his mama this year.

This is how close he got to the patio door. By that time, I was moving away. I was afraid he was going to come on in.

The Bear Returns

 

The Bear Who Came For Lunch

Had a little company at lunch time today!

 

She or he wasn't very big, and from the looks of the ribs there, probably needed more sustenance than my empty trash cans provided.

An Unexpected Guest

We had my mother-in-law up for Labor Day hamburgers last night. We had all settled in to eat when my husband said, "Look coming there!"

I was expecting my nephew at the back door or something, but no. Instead I saw a bear!

He was not a big bear, as bears go, but big enough! He sniffed around the back door and then headed around the house, circling around to the front yard and then moseying on into the hollow.

You just never know what you're going to see around here.

Another Bear Video

This bear is missing half of its front paw.

Bear Video

This is a video of a couple of bears in a local cornfield. Watch one bear run off with an ear of corn while a smaller bear knocks over corn stalks to reach the goodies.

Bears!

I took these pictures Saturday night at a location near the foot of Caldwell Mountain.

Evening Visitor

Thursday Thirteen

What Happens at the Trash Can

A squirrel.

Raccoon.

Three raccoons!

Raccoon.

A Bear! A Bear!

Bear make big mess.

A groundhog.

Big fat groundhog.

A bear! Too bad the camera apparently slipped.

Bear Butt.

Now we know why there is a mess in the morning.

Having a feast.

Winding it up and going away.

 

Now to figure out how to keep the animals out of the trash!

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 449th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.