After returning from several days in Jacksonville, FL, where the temperature was in the mid-90s and very muggy, I welcomed the return to NH weather. Once I got home, I unpacked my bag, put everything away, and then proceeded to open up some windows to air out the house.

Bird Feeder

Bird Feeder

When Samai, Elijah and Rahim showed up (I was VERY happy to see them), we had a little greeting fest, and then the boys went up to Elijah's room. While I was by the sliding screen door near the back deck, I heard the familiar sound of the metal squirrel baffle on the bird feeder in the back yard.

My first thought was BEAR, having observed a bird feeder crime scene several years ago. It was dark out, so I turned on the back deck light, but it wasn't bright enough to see beyond the deck in the rain. I searched frantically for a flashlight and found a little one that was better than nothing.

Carefully sliding the screen door open, I peered over the deck railing to confirm my initial thought: BEAR. It was a black bear, the likes of which I hadn't seen for a long time in my back yard.

I've attached a picture (it came out very dark) of the vandal in action, and some pictures of the "crime scene"...

11Oct2010: UPDATE: It's baaaaaaack, and this time it has been serving some BIG birds (see the last 2 photos)!