According to the homeowner, the bear tipped over a water fountain and a bird feeder.

YORK COUNTY, Va. — If you’ve seen a bear roaming around York County, Hampton, or Newport News recently, you’re not the only one.

In just the past three days, 13News Now received several reports of people seeing black bears, some saying they caught a bear even taking a stroll in their backyard.

Pat Montalvo said her husband noticed their Ring camera went off around 9:45 p.m. Thursday, and when he took a look, he saw a black bear walking around their patio and deck.

Living by the woods, Montalvo told 13News Now she has seen anything from foxes, to deer, to bunnies, but she has never seen a bear. Montalvo said that after she saw the live video, she ran to her window to see the bear in person with her own eyes.

“It’s shocking,” Montalvo said. “It was definitely shocking and a little scary when I came down to the bigger window and saw how big he was, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a big bear.’”

According to Montalvo, the bear knocked down a few things in her backyard, including a bird feeder. Peter Acker, a district biologist at the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, said it was most likely because the bear smelled the food.

“Bears love bird food, they love chicken feed… anything that smells like food,” Acker explained. “A bear is going to be hungry for and probably use as a source of food.”

Acker said Virginia has been seeing a steady increase in the bear population over the past few decades, noting May and June are when they typically see peak bear activity. According to Acker, black bears are usually looking for food, so as a rule of thumb, he said to never feed the bear. If you do, he could become a frequent visitor.

“Get the word out: take your bird feeders down. Put your trash up until the morning of trash day. Don’t be leaving your trash out with food scraps in it, and if those food sources are secure and put away, the bear will have no reason to be around or come hang around the house,” Acker said.

The National Park Service said most bear encounters end without injury, but there are tips to decrease the threat of danger:

  • Most bears will avoid humans if they hear them coming.
  • If the bear notices you, stay calm. Remain still and slowly wave your arms. Pick up any small children immediately.
  • Make yourself look as large as possible. For example, move to higher ground if possible.
  • A scream or sudden movement may trigger an attack. Never imitate bear sounds or make a high-pitched squeal.
  • Do not run or make any sudden movements.
  • Do not climb a tree, both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees.
  • Be especially cautious if you see a female with cubs. The chances of an attack escalate greatly if she perceives you as a danger to her cubs.