A Ball Ground family woke up Wednesday morning, July 15, to find their bird feeder on the ground and evidence that they had a late-night prowler. Nest doorbell footage showed a black bear strolling across the front walkway at about 1:30 a.m., homeowner Michael Pucci said. According to Pucci, the only real damage was to the bird feeder.
Curious about what happened, the couple pulled up their Nest recording and ended up sharing the clip with local media. CBS Atlanta published the video along with Pucci’s account of the encounter. He added that several neighbors have reported seeing bears roaming through the Ball Ground neighborhood in recent weeks. “We were both pretty shocked,” Pucci told the outlet.
Neighbors seeing bears across north metro Atlanta
The Ball Ground visit is not an isolated incident. It lines up with a string of bear reports from communities across north metro Atlanta this summer, which has prompted police and local outlets to remind residents to keep their distance from wildlife. Recent coverage and police alerts have flagged sightings from Smyrna to Newnan and Sandy Springs, and urged homeowners to cut down on easy food sources in their yards. WSB-TV has been following those advisories.
Why birdseed attracts bears and how to respond
Wildlife officials note that birdseed is a high-calorie snack for bears, and that once they learn a yard offers easy food, they are likely to return. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources recommends taking down bird feeders from spring through fall, securing trash and pet food, and using loud noises or even a garden hose to nudge a visiting bear to move along. The agency also lists a Ranger Hotline at 800-241-4113 for sightings. For more on the state’s BearWise guidance, see the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
For the Puccis, the overnight visitor was startling but ultimately not destructive, they said the Bird Buddy feeder was the only casualty. Their Nest footage fits into a broader summer pattern of bears wandering into suburban yards, and the family’s clip, which they shared with reporters, is available via CBS Atlanta.
