Nature repose

This last Sunday visiting a friend in vermont and helping with his landscape bed we discovered a nesting pair of slate coloured juncos had a nest with a clutch of four eggs nestled in a shrub. We worked around the plant as the birds were nearby appearing slightly worried. One of the birds would always return if we wandered off or indoors and would flutter off on our return. As afternoon dwindled we postponed work so the birds wouldn't be afraid to return to the nest for the evening. Not but a few minutes later as we were all indoors in repose my friend said "there is a bear in my back yard". My girlfriend looked out an upstairs window exclaiming "OH, My GOD!". The bear took note and wandered slowly off into the wood. The critter we estimated at 400 pounds after a little research. A black bear it was. Huge. Looked real healthy too. Shiny coat etc. Meanwhile we lived to tell the tale and no doubt the bear will eventually be a 1,000 pound grizzly that attacked us and we fended it off with human ingenuity. But for now, we saw a big black bear in the back yard. And, the birds are fine. Update on the chicks as they develop...