Bear Foraging For Insects In Downed Tree

This is roughly twenty feet from our house up an embankment above second floor level. Sable was outside this morning. It has rained most of yesterday and today. As I was looking out a window, to determine where she was, I noticed this I haven’t noticed previously. It appears very fresh. Appears to be where our bear has recently foraged in this downed tree for insects. May have occurred last nigh since I didn’t notice it yesterday. Or I could have missed it from the bear visit earlier in the week since we haven’t been outside due to the rain. Interestingly, it was starting to rain and Sable came from behind me as I was making these photos. She immediately left and ran to the door. She has acted very uncomfortable since our arrival on Thursday evening. We believe that she smells that the bear has been around. Obviously, our friend is out of hibernation. We have no clue how many there are or if we are encountering the same one. We believe they move down in the valley below us to the river for fish. 

Our local bears first spring visit

 

First allow me to apologize that I failed to make photos yesterday evening on our arrival to the mountain. This photo is after I moved things back in place I just made in the rain. The first issue that caught Pam’s attention was that the solar panel, which charges our generator starter battery, was amiss knocked as far to the side as it will go. However, it is about 8’ in the air, one the side of the house, so the first assumption was high winds. As I walked around the corner to our rear yard I found Sable’s house (at the right in this photo) also knocked sideways about two feet with the doors open, the first floor rug pulled outside and the second floor rug pulled amiss. I was still thinking high winds until Pam said look at the hose real (at the right in this photo). That sucker is heavy and was moved over two feet. That was not wind. As I rearranged Sable’s house I observed a muddy paw print on the rug and it was obvious something had stuck its paw thorough the second floor plastic access door and pulled that rug toward that access. Conclusion, spring visit from our bear upset that no bird feeders were present to haul off. Lower photo not our bear but similar. Trust me, I have been THAT CLOSE! Sorry, didn’t consider raising my cell phone to make a photo.