Shortly, I will be down to only a couple of types of birds in the yard because after suffering yet another bear attack on the bird feeders, I can no longer feed the birds.
The bird feeders I had up, were inside the fenced-in area. I figured that this time of year the bear would have plenty of natural food and not go to the trouble of getting to them. I had a heavy duty squirrel-proof feeder, a No-No feeder and a lighter duty squirrel-proof feeder up on the maple tree by WS's shed. Yesterday morning, I found that the bear had taken down all 3 feeders, pulling down a good sized tree limb in the proces AND he tore apart 2 sections of fence to get to the feeders (the dogs had a fine time running the neighborhood when I let them out!).
The bear has caused about $1,000 worth of damage since last fall (probably more): 3 No-No feeders (one that Cop Car had sent me), 2 heavy duty squirrel-proof feeders, a couple of regular feeders, several suet feeders, 1 thistle seed feeder, and now the fence. There were some other feeders involved during that time, but they were/are salvagable.
So, the feeders have come down until winter, when the bear is denned up. WS has made temporary repairs to the fence using 6" landscape timbers, sharpened and sledge-hammered into the ground, to hold the fencing in place. We will have to replace at least one post - probably two.
Guess we won't be seeing any new birds in the area any more!
good grief thats a lot of damage!people complain about foxes tipping over their bins to get to food here but its not quite in the same league as your bears!
Posted by: bod | June 06, 2006 at 09:58 AM
Bummer! How disappointing (not to mention disgusting) for you and WS to have gone to all of that work, only to have to abandon the effort. Abandonment is probably the only move you can make, at this point. If you were retired, and could afford the time, you would be able to put the feeders out for an hour at a time--when you would be able to keep an eye on them (and the birds). Keep your ears open, though, for all of the birds who will still be flitting about in the Audubon tract, as well as in your own.
Posted by: Cop Car | June 06, 2006 at 10:19 AM
How disappointing! We've had to deal with raccoons, but that's nothing compared to your bears. Too bad; I bet you were really enjoying the birds.
Posted by: buffy | June 06, 2006 at 08:49 PM
Last night we saw the flicker and the eastern kingbird (mostly insect eaters). They shouldn't be scared off by the lack of seed anyway. We also actually had a lone grackle in the yard last night - strange!
Posted by: bogie | June 08, 2006 at 03:49 AM