The Mountain View neighborhood, tucked away in the northeastern section of Bristol along the Farmington and Plainville town line, is relatively quiet, awash in its own rhythms.

On any given day you could find kids riding their bikes, car repairs in driveways, gardens being tended to, walkers, pick up basketball games and last Thursday afternoon, a black bear.

According to Facebook posts and home video footage, a black bear decided to get a closer look of the area for himself. 

Standing over 5 ft., he was spotted around 4:45 p.m. on Anthony Dr. rummaging through backyards and later on Vera Rd. climbing an oak tree, while being keenly observed by a house cat. 

In recent weeks, black bears have appeared in the neighborhood searching for food. Residents are reminded to keep their garbage cans tightly shut to keep them away from homes. 

The State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) created a webpage with useful information on how to deal with black bears, which can be found by clicking here.