FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Re: bear visits increasing daily in Bristol

["Richard Kretz" <kretz9446@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

 Interesting reports about the bear. Summer is the time of year when they're 
out and about scavenging. Bears are prevalent throughout Northeast TN and 
southwest VA. As birders we should be mindful of this when we are in the woods 
as encounters aren't uncommon. 

    Snakes are something else we should be mindful of right now; being 
especially vigilant for rattlers and copperheads. Summer heat makes them active 
(notice all the dead ones in the roads) and aggressive. Contrary to popular 
belief, rattlers don't always rattle before striking and they do climb trees. 
Birders should be careful and pay close attention to what's on the ground in 
front of and around them in addition to looking for birds in the trees when in 
the woods and brushy areas with branches/logs/lots of rocks. In addition, avoid 
wildlife that "isn't acting right" (raccoons, squirrels, possum, skunk, fox, 
coyote, etc.) as they may have rabies. As a final precaution, check yourself 
thoroughly for ticks regularly during field trips and immediately upon 
returning home from trips to the field. Birding is fun, but it's prudent to 
respect nature and think safety first. Enjoy the birds, but let's bird safely...

Richard Kretz
Elk Garden, Russell Co., VA
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Wallace Coffey 
  To: Bristol-birds 
  Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 1:22 AM
  Subject: [Bristol-Birds] bear visits increasing daily in Bristol


  The neighborhood Black Bear visits continued through Wednesday in the 
Bellebrook Estates of south Bristol Tennessee.

  Bunny Schoenhardt, who live on Cloudland Drive on the ridge just three doors 
up from my house, provided an update.  She was the lady who found her feeders 
destroyed early Monday.

  About 5 p.m. Wednesday she telephoned to say the bear had been at the home of 
Boots Mays on Wonder Valley Rd. and had been coming about 2 p.m. for the past 
couple of day.  Meanwhile John Taft who lives maybe a 100 feet or so from the 
Schoenhardts reported he looked out his back window and saw the bear standing 
on his patio.

  I saw neighbors gathered across the street about 5:30 p.m. and they reported 
the bear had just been seen at the end of Bellebrook Drive at the top of the 
hill.  Sheri Lanier and her husband Gene Lanier, introduced me to the St. John 
family.  Their teenage son had seen the bear near their home.  The father 
managed to see it cross a fence to the Cedar Valley Rd. side of the ridge.  He 
colleted black fur left behind on the fence.

  At the Mays' resident, the bear knocked down a hummingbird feeder wile 
attempting to get food from it.  According to Bunny Schoenhardt,  the bear 
heard the Mays' dog inisde the house and the bear looked in one of the windows.

  Police were here searching for the animal.  More telephone calls were placed 
to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency but Bunny said neighbors do not 
expect a response from the agency. 

  Let's go birding.....

  Wallace Coffey
  Bristol, Tn