Sunday morning surprise

[Pat B]

While enjoying nature through the throne room window I noticed something different about my usual view I get each morning, something was out of place. Then it moved it head and I could see it was a bobcat. I got my binoculars to get a closer view but before Marcia could get her camera the bobcat stalked away towards some squirrel activity. The odd thing about this is that it is the first time in the 30 years since we've lived here that we have seen a bobcat. I have seen bobcat scat and probably tracks although they were few and far between over those 30 years this is the first actual sighting...and what a thrill.

[BowEd]

Cool.We've or Robin has missed many a good picture by not having her camera along driving in car or walking in the woods here.When living alone here I took many pictures and been in the woods my whole life anyway but for Robins' sake I'd like to see her experience it.
We see an occasional bobcat here too but no black bears.

[Pat B]

Ed, black bears are thick around here. In Asheville, about 40 miles away, there are 40+ black bears living in the city limits, not coming into the city but living there. Most are tagged and there is an ongoing study of urban bears here in Western NC.
Actually, a few years ago around Christmas we found where a pack of coyotes had taken down a doe as she was crossing a creek. There was 4" of snow on the ground and the scene was quite obvious. I placed a trail cam over looking the carcass and over the next few days we were amazed how many different animals visited and took advantage of a free meal and one was a bobcat along with birds of all forms, coons, possums, squirrels, mice, neighborhood dogs, ours included and before we knew it all that was left was bloody snow and hair.
Gotta love living in the country. 

[HH~]

That sounds fun fun. Cut the dogs loose right in town center and tree em on a utility pole outside the dumpster at the local diner.

My Mom's two standard Poodles treed a small bear a week ago. Last years cub. They hate bears, well, really they are scared of them but love to run em. If one ever turned on those dogs they be bear snacks. They about 45lb dogs. They dont bother any other critters but when they smell bear you cant hold em back and they get fire in their eyes!

Bobcats we got em all over here. Song bird eaters. Watched them many times from stand sitting on a log til a small wren, or juco comes close and wham. Down their throat. Make a house cat look oddly slow.

Hedge~

[Pat B]

...just making a living!   

[Pappy]

COOL Pat, I don't see many around the farm, did see 2 this year while hunting but they were the first I have seen in several years. Love watching them, hope they make a meal out of some of the Turkeys we have around here.
 Pappy

[osage outlaw]

They are cool critters.  They used to be very scarce around here.  Now there are so many they are talking about opening a season for them.  We have one that crosses the edge of our yard behind a shed.  We have seen it several times there.  I got pictures of one lounging in the road a few years ago.  It was just laying there with not a care in the world.

[Mesophilic]

This was taken off mg patio when my wife was doing her graduate studies in California.  Only time I've wvwr gotten rhis close to a live one.

[jeffp51]

what is that?