Snow and bobcat mother-kitten

This was the sight outside our bedroom this morning. Winter is here!

I have to be honest. I wasn't terribly excited about going out in it - I gradually develop my "winter state of mind" as the season wears on. But, Shyla was very excited, so we went!

It was a decent layer of snow (5" or so) and more is supposed to fall tonight. One of the things that I love about winter weather is that almost no one else goes out in it so I can hear the true silence of the forest. My snow bike track is shown on an otherwise untouched trail below.

Shyla kept getting the wildest snow beards. She was so full of happy zoomies in the snow that I barely captured any photos of her unless I asked her sit still!

I have a bit of catching up to do on my trail camera photos because I've captured some extraordinary cat behavior recently (bobcat and mountain lion). But, first, let me answer Lily's question about where the camera that I won in the Trailcampro.com contest (thanks to your votes) is posted. It's still posted next to my house. I always do this with a new model of camera so that I can optimize the settings before I put it someplace remote. I'm learning that this Spypoint Camera will work best in a place where the animals are not moving fast because it's not great at freezing motion at night but takes great daytime and still nighttime photos. I have an idea for a perfect spot where animals like to lounge and hang out. Now, I just need some decent weather to get it to the spot.

In the meantime, I first have to move another camera. It makes me sad that someone spotted one and then spent a couple of minutes *behind* it, doubtless looking at the lock wrapped around the tree. I automatically move a camera when this happens so that the person can't come back with heavy duty tools to steal it. But, just in case, if you happen to be the one who saw this camera and went behind it, I'd be grateful if you could email me about it (kynabear5 at gmail dot com). I've been monitoring that spot non-stop since April, and the male bears who are heading for dens will pass it in the next month. I'd love to get a full season of bear footage for that spot in the woods.

I wanted to show you an extraordinary series of photos of a bobcat mother and her kitten. They arrived in a clearing that I've had staked out with a trail camera for years now. Almost every species of large mammal in our area visits this clearing from time to time. Here, the pair arrived.

This is a spot where mountain lions, bears, and other animals have marked their territory regularly. These two bobcats were very interested in the tree.

Indeed, they seemed interested in something that was *up* in the tree.

The two of them walked away from the tree briefly and looked as if they were whispering to each other.

Then, they were both distracted by something to the side.

As they scanned, the kitten looked straight at the camera. What a cutie!

Then, it appeared as if mom told the kitten something serious. He even rocked his weight backward away from her. Perhaps she was chastising him for something.

They disappeared from view for a little bit, and then they both reappeared in the view. There are TWO bobcats in this photo. Do you see them both? I missed one of them at first.

Here's a zoomed version to help you. Mom was on her way up the tree. I've captured photos of her carrying tree squirrels away from this site before. I wonder if she was heading up the tree to try catch one?
The kitten stayed there, looking up toward his mom for a while. Then he wandered away. I suspect that mom came down via a different tree because I didn't get any footage of her descent.

I thought that this series of photos of mom and her kitten plus tree-climbing was the most fascinating bobcat series that I've ever captured.

Our bobcats are out there tonight, in the snow, working to make a living. I hope it's not too rough.