April 3, 2025 And the First Bear of the Year iiiisssss----LEVI!!!!
Levi

After comparing photos and seeing his personality it has to be him! He’s been coming every day.
Today, there was another bear report maybe two miles away—a mother with a single yearling. We’re waiting to hear more and see more for identification and to see how they are. I hope we can see them soon.
The picture shows Levi approaching in the woods.
Herring gull
Herring gull

Eight days ago (March 26) was the first visit by a Herring Gull. He comes every day and in the last couple days has been joined by two others even though there is no open water in this area yet.
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle

Big excitement today was seeing the bald eagle swoop in for his treat. What made it extra exciting was him unexpectedly whizzing by about eight feet over Peggy’s head as she was shoveling snow off the steps only 12-15 feet from the drumstick that was suddenly gone after she put it out only minutes before.
I have yet to get a good picture of that kind of action, although I did catch him in poor light a couple days ago partially into the picture with his feet far forward and his talons spread—just a fraction of a second before he snatched the drumstick from the little roof in front of him.
Pine siskins
Pine siskins

Snow evidently brings siskins to dinner. Each of two snowstorms had siskin numbers here in numbers near their high of the year. In the six-inch snowfall of yesterday, they seemed desperately hungry. Over five hundred of the gathered on the feeding deck with over a hundred in the surrounding trees.
Fisher
Fisher

Fishers are on the move. Three are coming now. One with part of its left ear missing an well healed is probably one that came a bit last year. It doesn’t seem as scared as I would expect.
The first woodchuck showed up April first, probably a male looking for a mate. I didn’t see him well enough to identify him or get a picture, though. We’ll see if he gives us another chance to ID him.
Valance
Valance

Last evening ended with a nice view—a beautiful valance that nature created outside the window.
We’ll see what bear comes next.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center