Niki Istwan sent in this photo of a bear enjoying lunch in her Tryon township backyard, less than 50 feet from her house near the Stoney Ridge subdivision last Tuesday. She has seen him previously in the spring and fall but never in the winter. Istwan says that the bear is not destructive and doesn’t tear down the feeder, just tilts and pours the sunflower seed directly in his mouth. This visit, he hung around for about an hour. (Photo submitted by Niki Istwan)