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