Unexpected Visitors
Once in a while my backyard is visited by unexpected individuals. In the past month until now I have seen and photographed a few, for example, last month I saw a group of four Bobcats, still young, larger than a regular dog. I follow them and they were just passing through. I had a camera but with a short lens, I snapped about five shots and when they saw me they went into the brush.
I spoke to the Wild Animal Protection Agency and the ranger told me that we shouldn’t worry about them, it’s exactly what I thought. They’re just passing through and bother no one so they travel following the creek avoiding people. He was all excited about how lucky I was to see four Bobcats together, he said he had seen 2 Bobcats in 20 years!
All other visitors you’ll be able to figure them out when you see the photos. Don’t forget to click on photos to see enlarged image.
Bobcat
Bobcat
Cotton-tailed Rabbit
N. Cardinal with Orange Tabby as background!
Gray Squirrel sitting
Large dak gray cat
Text and photographs © H.J. Ruiz – Avian101
H.J. Ruiz - Avian101 
Wow, your sure live in a beautiful place. All that nature around you 🙂
My home is just a regular home, I don’t like fences and I have a backyard with a creek nearby. That’s all.
The openness with nature sounds divine to me and you are capturing some of nature’s finest moments. I enjoy your blog.
Amazing, H.J.! So glad you were able to see the bobcats and photograph them! Which way were they traveling? Just curious if they were going north or south?
They were heading South. I was surprised myself to see them. Too bad I grabbed a camera without a telephoto lens and they moved too fast. I opted for climbing on a small mound of dirt and shooting from far. They saw me and they rapidly went into the brush in the creek. Good experience!
It’s good to hear from you again Karen. 🙂
It was fortunate you were some distance from them or they would have run away before you could snap the photo! We have a nature trail and creek in our neighborhood and years ago someone reported seeing a bobcat near the trail. I wonder if the creek behind your house is the same one that runs through our neighborhood. They were probably on their way to Florida!
WOW! What a rare treat seeing so many bobcats at once!!! My husband and I used to own a bait and tackle shop/consession at a wildlife preservation area in partnership with the Missouri Conservation Department. I only saw one bobcat in all the 5 years. A hunter killed it and showed it to me stuffed in his cooler…perfectly legal. 😥 It was the most beautiful animal (but I wanted someone to stuff that hunter in a cooler). I’m glad you “shoot” them the right way.
Love the photo of the cardinal keeping his eye on that striped cat. Good one!
You’re funny Diva! 🙂 Are you sure you don’t have his head over your fireplace’s mantle?
Great comment! Thanks!
Oooo! If only I’d have thought of that. 😉
Wow HJ what a privilege to experience something like this… must be amazing. thanks for sharing
The funny thing was that my wife saw one through the window and told me there’s a dog loose back there. Without looking I asked: What kind of dog is it? She said I don’t know. So I took a look and I said Whoa! that’s no dog , is a Bobcat, and then I saw another one and then 2 more after that. The rest you already read above. Thanks for your comment Joanna!
We don’t have bobcat here I don’t think – how lovely for you to see four!
My sentiments exactly!
They might be called Linx where you live. They are like big cats with pointy ears and gorgeous fur. Thanks for the comment.
I’ve seen coyotes, foxes, and mountain lions in the wild but never a bobcat. He’s cute.
They are handsome felines for sure!