This is not a joke. I’m serious. You know that nature is taking back the world – at least our part of the world – with great enthusiasm. Well – apparently that includes the bears!

I was sitting – ok – playing bridge – I admit it – at the table in our eating area that looks over my back-yard. It has a nice view of my bird feeders, and I do enjoy watching the birds battle it out over the last peanut.

Some how – it’s always the Squirrels that win. But that’s off topic.

It’s dark out – so all I can really see is the lit marble statue that stands regally keeping guard over our back yard. And I hear odd noises. Like a steel bell being rung.. or clanged.. Very strange.

On my bird feeder is a raccoon baffle – it’s a large cylinder of black metal that is designed to make it impossible for raccoons (and for squirrels – the real enemy of bird feeders) to climb the pole from which I hang the feeders.

This baffle has worked wonders for years and years. It’s kept both the squirrels – numbering in the ‘lots and lots’ at bay – and nary a raccoon has braved our backyard.

But tonight – there is an animal on the pole – and it’s not a small animal either. Bigger than a raccoon – and effectively standing on it’s hind legs, leaning against the raccoon baffle and reaching up into the wooden bird feeder!

I’m as scared and shocked to see it as it is to see me! And after a brief moment of eye contact – round head, can’t see a nose he’s looking right at me – and two very erect ears – the animal falls to 4 legs and lops off into the trees around my yard.

I call my husband – who effectively says – I’m dreaming. It wasn’t even a raccoon – what was I drinking…

The next day – the news is FILLED with photos and reports of a young brown bear that has been seen around our area of Lakeshore! They finally tree it around 1:00 PM on Sunday – and manage to tranquilize it by 4-5:00 PM. The bear will be taken off island (Far off island) and released.

That was the animal at my feeder! A young brown bear.

My husband now reminds me that I have a phone with a flash – and could have taken a picture.

Right. Next time.

Signing off to see if there are any more bears in my backyard. The Soup Lady