On Saturday night, we had typical bear-season night, where the dogs erupted into frenzied barking every time I started to drift into a deep sleep. We awakened to find a bear-proof garbage can overturned but intact. I headed out to check the wildlife cams and found no bear photos. Then, just 10 minutes later, the canine guards went
berserk yet again... and I looked out the window to see a bear 5 yards away. I happened to have my camera in my hand.
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His jet black fur glistened with water. Either he found a puddle to wallow in or he rolled in the dew on the grass. He was magnificent! Big, but not huge, and moved with a swagger. The sad part, as you'll see, is that a green tag embellished his ear. That means that he's been in trouble with people in the past. I'm so glad that all of our "
bearproofing" efforts meant that he found no food here.
He went over to the base of the bird feeding station, first walking on four legs.
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He contemplated how to break down our "
bearproof" contraption.
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Then, he assumed the pose that all our first-time bear visitors use, reaching up the
birdfeeding station's cement-anchored pole. Way over his head, pipe "branches" extend horizontally with
birdfeeders hanging from them.
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He tried to shake the pole. No luck.
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He tried to reach higher, and his head towered out of the camera's field.
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I'm sure that I can reach that, he thought... And, I must mention that I'm pretty sure that he's a male based seeing him stand on two legs.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVsYKV3Sbhol1KB4HlVzn21gWXKCZ1rY4Ry_rkn8j9BZi7ZIAvBDCR0VJrN2_uBAHAkVKDKzsszrmUbjhQbmxoO9J8-C_TLlF9YvutX27BblB3Dp6ag1WpW4HG1t9khymJzIuW84F6OM/s400/SUNP0005_2.jpg)
Next, he considered trying to climb the pole like he would climb a tree. Alas, his claws got no traction.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcS_qKbTtv5DDPKDT82tRKBM6TCZR-f5qQ-5tTD_M1L23Qxw7kI_xLWvJQf7_2kFdjJ3pbTSq9jnOAhjKz1r2mijtuxjznVkSaRnRK87UkkOWkFS4c9elUB0NZNH3TsEiDcbosV9-IG3c/s400/SUNP0006.JPG)
For comparison, I stood at the base of the pole and put my "paws" on it after a bike ride. That bear is bigger than I am!
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Finally, he gave up on the pole and contemplated other options.
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He considered climbing a tree near the
birdfeeding station. Here, he walked toward it before rejecting that idea.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYzfxjsFJ_Nt5rwxGb_lAIZkOMmkTA-kHt59trPOoYZAh-DnEVZKKOvrz3EBpDWCdOTC17fdO4MY1Y2DDkUH0S6DasOoZMMog47EPzjRgFJiz5h97nF_4VAbNVf_OEI6-o1NxVPZ30T8/s400/CDY_0004_2.JPG)
He gave up on breaking into the
birdfeeding station but surveyed our home for other signs of food.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p-VWX_A_PuQ5CVoSaMx1Z5Yo9PUVEDURPj-oGPJwk7FUHDY8eOWd8Rf3DybOZXdOcGDqiqC0ukMXhyphenhyphenObWtoaZoLxOw51dRb59IAAumVGrE7xmA97zMgId-KtozgUD_EuwB9osy4THSM/s400/P6200549_2.JPG)
Finding none, he took a slurp from the bird bath. This solved a major mystery for me - the mystery of why all the water in the bird bath disappears overnight occasionally in the summer. I think that the bears drink it! Sorry for the photo quality - it was via my window.
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Thirst slightly quenched but still hungry, he lumbered out of our clearing.
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I feel sad that this bear has an ear tag, meaning that he will be killed the next time that he does something bad. But, despite that, I always revel in seeing these mighty beasts in the forest around our house. He looked strong and fit. And, all our
bearproofing worked! A good day...
Later that same day, I had the honor of mountain biking with my new riding partner. He rocks!
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And then, he and his brother had a rock concert for Father's Day!
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Recently, we've started each dog outing with recalls, recalls, recalls, to keep the dogs sharp in case we see one of the many bears wandering the neighborhood. K pranced to me this weekend.
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This morning, the forest had an eerie ambiance as the sun filtered through clouds of green pine pollen. K and I mountain biked and enjoyed the world's unique hue.
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Even the mountains behind K appeared shrouded in a pollen haze.
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And the flowers sang a dazzling tune.
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Bears, flowers, mountain biking - it must be summer in the mountains!