The handful of people who quietly watched a black bear wading in a stream at Meadowdale Beach Park in Edmonds today may have seen the same animal that has eluded state Fish and Wildlife agents for more than a week.

Edmonds resident Charles Lawrence said that he and his 26-year-old son were among the group who watched a "small black bear" in the park around 7 a.m. The park is located north of downtown Edmonds.

"We heard something crash around a little bit and we saw it across the stream from us," Lawrence recalled. "We all stood there and watched it for a while. It was watching us and it finally moved on up the slope."

Lawrence said the bear moved on after about four minutes. He said he has heard of a cougar in the park before, but not a bear.

Fish and Wildlife Officer Bruce Richards said it is possible that the bear Lawrence saw is the same one they have been tracking through Seattle, Lake Forest Park and Shoreline. Agents believe the last credible sighting was in Shoreline.

"From Shoreline to Edmonds isn't that far," Richards said.

Fish and Wildlife agents were skeptical when somebody reported seeing the same bear in South Seattle on Thursday. Fish and Wildlife Sgt. Kim Chandler discounted the Beacon Hill report, surmising that the tipster likely saw a dog.

The wildlife agents have named the elusive bear the "Urban Phantom."