I knew it was going to be a productive trip to Point Reyes National Seashore for me last year, when I encountered this bobcat on my first evening in the park. After landing in California I grabbed some supplies for the week in my old stomping grounds (including a burrito from my favorite taqueria!) before heading out to Marin. For my first foray into the park I decided to look for quail in the coastal scrub near Abbotts Lagoon. I had some luck with birds near the trailhead before starting to hike toward the coast. I didn't get too far down the trail though before spotting this bobcat searching for rodents in the adjacent field. Much to my delight, the cat started working its way toward my location near the small drainage pond along the trail. It definitely noticed that I was watching, and it gave me a wary eye as it approached before disappearing into the reeds at the edge of the pond. I stayed in my spot on the trail for a while longer to see if it would emerge, and surprisingly it stepped out even closer to me. It seemed to want to get a better look at its observer, spending a few minutes looking my way before slipping back into the vegetation. I would see this cat working the fields near the pond multiple times during my trip (though never at this close range again), and I suspect that it may have had a den there.
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Beautiful cat! I like how you framed it in that space!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brian! Composition was a bit of a challenge for this one. I was shooting over the top of some vegetation, but also through horizontal wires of a fence along the trail so I was limited in how I could get a clear shot without obstruction. There's also a little bit of the rush that reaches over its right eye, but at this small size it's not too noticeable.
DeleteWhat an amazing encounter! I have wanted to see one since we used to live in Texas years ago. We did see one run across the highway when we were headed back from our vacation in UT and CO last summer. It was a couple of hundred miles from our home, and a limited access road without development close by. He actually started across fairly slowly, but a car decided at that moment to pass us in the other lane and while I fumbled trying to get my camera zeroed in on him, the car zoomed close and caused him to dash the last few feet across the road. And then he was gone. At least we got to see him. But I'd love to get some photos!!! I'm so jealous! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marie! I've been lucky enough to see bobcats up close on a couple of occasions. While they are generally pretty secretive, there are a handful of places in Marin County, California, where it's possible to see them near the trails. Always a fantastic encounter!
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