A Bobcat

Based on my trail cameras, we've known for a while that bobcats regularly come through our clearing in daylight.

This bobcat clambered over a pile of slash to get into our clearing.

Then he sniffed an area that coyotes mark all the time.

After sniffing, he left in a hurry, showing us that he was actually a decent-sized bobcat when he stood tall.

Yesterday, around sunset, we noticed a bobcat hunkered down under a pine tree next to our birdfeeders. He chose to lie on a snow-free patch of ground under the tree and blended into the patch almost seamlessly.

Inconveniently, he had some bare rose bush branches between me and him.

The birdfeeder area was strangely devoid of any squirrels or ground-feeding birds. I wonder why? Mr. Bobcat stayed for quite a while, even appearing to doze off occasionally.

We had a window open for me to take photos, and I accidentally bumped something, catching his attention.

What an amazing creature! I feel lucky that I had a powerful lens, loaned to me by a friend, to capture his handsome face.

Because we were having fun watching the bobcat, we were late for our evening walk. We arrived up high just as the clouds faded from a brilliant pink to a gray tinged with pink.

Those clouds have stuck around, giving us a mostly overcast day. We're having a "Zen" day, relaxing quietly.

I hope that you're having a great Saturday! Thanks for all of the kind comments yesterday. I've stopped being anxious since I know that no news will come before Monday. There's no point in ruining my weekend over it!