Until early this morning, or late last night there hadn’t been a Black Bear (Ursus americanus) in my yard for 3 years. I wasn’t sure what had actually happened. Bird feeders scattered. The pole where several of them had been hanging was bent to nearly flat on the ground. A feeder which had been hanging in a tree, now down on the ground.
But the Bear left muddy paw prints on a squirrel baffle and a suet feeder, making it definite, a Bear was the culprit.
I had mixed feelings during the time there were no Bears. I was concerned for them. Their absence was caused by an outbreak of Sarcoptes scabiei, a type of mange, that had wiped out the Bear population in this area. During their absence the number of White-tailed Deer increased. More and more plants were being chomped as the Deer passed through my yard.
But it has been absolutely delightful to be able to feed the birds with no concern for what now, has happened overnight. Mixed feelings, indeed.
I don’t actually know that the Bear that came through is truly healthy. Whether this will be the beginning of things returning to normal.
If this IS the beginning of things returning to normal, I’m very pleased, because they are so darned CUTE!
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