RUTLAND, MASS. (WHDH) - A wild sight was recently caught on camera in Rutland as a local resident found a bear drinking from a hummingbird feeder in their backyard.
The resident shared video of the encounter from Friday night in which the bear can be seen finishing off one bird feeder before walking over to try another one.
Common in western and central Massachusetts, black bears have been expanding their range east across the state, according to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
There have been several bear sightings in recent months, including one situation where a bear was spotted swimming in a backyard pool in Hingham. A bear spotted in Arlington and Lexington prompted warnings from officials and delayed openings for Arlington schools in June. A matter of weeks later, in July, a Templeton family captured video of a group of bears in their backyard.
Officials have shared tips on ways to avoid conflicts with bears available at the link here.
(Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)