Black bear startles Kirkland residents when seen roaming on decks and drinking from bird feeders
Jun 13, 2023, 11:01 AM | Updated: 11:44 am
(Photo from KIRO 7)
(Photo from KIRO 7)
A black bear was spotted Monday morning in a Kirkland neighborhood less than half a mile away from Bridle Trails State Park.
The bear was seen by Lynn, who said it was on her deck looking for food. She caught the whole thing on camera.
“I was kind of shaken when I saw him,” she told KIRO 7.
Lynn said she had just gone back inside her home when the bear got into her yard and onto her deck.
“I have lots of flowers on my deck, he was knocking those over,” she said. “He went and he got to the hummingbird feeder and he drank that and it fell off.”
Her yard is fenced so she isn’t sure how the bear got in or out.
“He gets to the stairs there and he’s rubbing his behind on the fence,” she recalled.
She’s lived in this neighborhood for nearly 50 years and said she’s never had this sort of thing happen before.
“I didn’t like it,” she said.
However, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said it isn’t uncommon for people to see bears in the area because of how close Bridle Trails State Park is. The park has signs up warning people of a black bear in the area.
Experts said if you encounter a bear you should make yourself appear big and make lots of noise. They also recommend carrying bear spray with you as well. As for homes, it’s recommended that you remove all pet food or bird feeders and secure trash cans as this can attract bears as well.
