Feathers and Fuzz

one woman's cure for the empty-nester blues

Night Prowler: Black Bear Crosses the Line

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After our little Synchronized Swimming break, the saga of the Black Bear resumes.  The woodland-trasher is on the move ... night prowler begins.  Of course, I had no idea of his prowling until the next day when I played back the camera video.  Then, I watched in true horror as he investigated EVERY empty bird feeding station on the property.

Let's get right to the video -- then I'll drag you through my feelings of horror.

Crossing the Line

It's one thing to maul the feeders in the woods.  It's another thing to climb the fence into the "dog park" and check out those feeding stations.  It's a final straw, however, when you cross over a fence into the space where Drake, the Pit Bull, and I hang out.  I figure it's only a matter of time before this night prowler will be swimming in my pool (well, mostly Drake's pool).

Although everyone who meets Drake is awed by his size, he is not the baddest boy on the planet he thinks he is.  Drake is a pipsqueak compared to Mr. Black Bear.

Black Bear at Fence

Black Bear Size

Drake at Fence

Drake Size

Georgia Wildlife continues to tell me there is nothing they will do -- and nothing more I can do.  It is clear to me:  IF I put ample food out in the woods, the bear is likely to hang out there until he is full -- but he'll be back looking for more.  IF I take all the food away, he knows no limits.  For now, Drake and I stay inside from sunset to sunrise -- not so much for my safety, but for Drake's.

If you don't already know this about me, I don't give up easily.  There's always a solution.  It's my job to find it!  Meanwhile, please don't tell Drake I called him a pipsqueak.

Birdbath Classes: Bluebird Synchronized Swimming

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Sending you “uplifting” posts is going downhill … so we’re going to take a break and enjoy a pair of juvenile Eastern Bluebirds engaging in Synchronized Swimming.  Juvenile Bluebirds are showing up at the birdbath and all the worm feeders — usually in groups.  They appear to be from both the East and North houses.  The Garden fledglings are almost-certainly still hanging out in the trees being fed by their parents.  I know the most-recent East brood is still in the nest with an anticipated fledge date of mid-August.

I do not know where the bear is.  A neighbor told me the bear demolished other trash cans and bird/deer feeders in the neighborhood.  I was also told he totaled a car at the sports park about 2 miles from here.  Yeah — time to get lost in synchronized swimming!!