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Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Healing heart and bobcat mystery

Today, I saw a friend who I haven't seen since last summer. She immediately said that I looked so much happier than last summer. I guess that my heart has been healing, ever so slowly, as Mother Earth has been spinning. And, she truly spins...

This photo is from the Utah desert. It was so dark that there were almost too many stars for my photo but it certainly shows that our Earth spins and spins, stopping for nothing.
Of course, Shyla has played a huge role in helping me to see the happiness in life again. We have fun on the trails together every day.
We mountain bike, play, train, and take photos in the early mornings. Here, she's standing on one of my favorite trails.
Close to that trail, there's been lots of bobcat activity.
Multiple bobcats have marked the same spot in recent weeks.
I thought that I was seeing normal bobcat behavior until I captured this series of photos. First, one bobcat arrived at a popular spot.
That bobcat went to lie down next to the trail (he's just to the left of the center of the next photo), and another bobcat arrived.
The second bobcat sat, waiting for the first one to be ready to move on (he was now in the far right of the photo as you can see from his eye shine). They were clearly traveling together.
The confusing part is that it's not a time of year when I see bobcats traveling in pairs or groups. Usually, mating season is in late winter. Then, early in the summer, I'll notice a female bobcat traveling a certain route regularly, probably coming and going from her den, where she's nursing her kittens. In July or so, she'll start carrying dead prey with her as she travels her route, probably taking it to her kittens. Finally, in August or so, the kitten(s) emerge from the den, looking small and timid.

So, the 87 million dollar question is: Why are these two bobcats together? I know that they are capable of breeding at any time of year so perhaps it's a breeding pair or a mother with an almost grown up kitten (whose kitten was born at an odd time of year). Whatever the reason (and I'd love to hear your thoughts), it'll be fun to see if this pair remains together or not.

Just for perspective, here's a bear going  past the same spot a few hours later, heading for some marking trees. He weighs at least ten times as much as a bobcat. I'll share his antics with you soon.
R likes the bears best of all - especially the ones who are as black as he is!

21 comments:

  1. I LOVE that star photo! Beautiful!

    Interesting about the bobcats. I don't know much about them, but perhaps they're siblings, or mother/kitten like you said?

    Nola's Mom

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  2. R- you are the most beautiful black bear lab of all You look soft as velvet!
    I am in awe of the first photo,,,
    beyond amazing,,,,
    and another beyond amazing moment- is Shyla healing your heart.
    Such beautiful photos of the bob cat and gorgeous bear.
    love
    tweedles

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  3. High paw to you Shyla! I am intrigued about the bobcats. I always learn new things from you as I have never lived anyplace with the nature that you have before you. It is always a pleasure to visit.

    Anne and Sasha

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  4. Love the wildlife cam shots. Do you ever run into those bears while biking out on the trails? I had a mother bear look into my home office window last week, and it startled her as much as it did me! She and two fairly large cubs high-tailed it down the hill when Lady spotted them and began barking like a maniac. I like seeing the bears from inside the house - out in the woods, far from home, not so much!

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  5. The star photo takes my breath away. Love the picture of Shyla with her paw raised...so sweet, and R is just the handsomest boy ever.

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  6. Super trails, and R, that great handsome dude, he shines. The bobcats are so lovely, just like a big puss cat ,As for Big Black Bear, he is huge.. Greetings from Jean.p.s. Shyla shines too, as always.

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  7. Great pictures of the wild critters and the not-so-wild.

    You know the photo of the Cracker Dog makes my heart go bumpety-bump!

    Cheers,

    Jo

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  8. Wildlife can do some strange things. I research bears...a few years ago, we translocated 2 grizzly bears from one mountain range to another (for a very long winded research reason) a month apart from each other. They were young females, a year apart age, and did not originally come from the same area. Yet, we discovered that they met up at some point in the summer and traveled for 10 days together. We've never documented unrelated bears, not of the same age or lineage, traveling together. So, who knows what's up with your bobcats! A mystery indeed!

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  9. Your wildlife cams always record such interesting activity.

    I also don't think it's possible to have too many stars. I love that picture!

    Cindy

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  10. Interesting. We don't know anything about Bobcats. We just wonder if they'd be fun to chase.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  11. You are such a handsome man, R, and we love the photo of Shyla waving! You have the most beautiful pups, KB!

    Love ya lots♥
    Mitch and Molly

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  12. Do your dogs ignore all this wildlife you encounter? I can't imagine ever being able to let my dogs off leash...

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  13. We know next to nothing about the bobcats but love learning about them from you. It will be fun to see what happens with these two. R has such a gorgeous coat. Beautiful boy.

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  14. Just look at all those stars ~ Beautiful! Only goes to show that we're just little specks in this BIG world.

    We always smile when we see Shyla waving at us, she is just too cute. And... R's picture today just melted our hearts.

    Keep on healing that heart!

    Hugs,
    Lily Belle & Muffin

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  15. I wonder if R was moments where he pretends he is a bear? We always think Sam imagines himself as other animals!

    Silly, right? ;D

    Sam

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  16. Shyla came into your life with a purpose for sure. Hmmm maybe it is kitty and baby
    Benny & Lily

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  17. That photo of the stars is just incredible! It's good to know you're happy again :-)
    -Corbin

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  18. Great Pictures of the bobcat!!! Should be interesting to follow them.
    Shyla is Lovely!

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  19. um...that Bear is MASSIVE. Wow, crazy you get bears like that around you. Thanks for sharing :)

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  20. Do females and their adult daughters ever share territory? I know with the feral house cats that the Crazy Cat Lady feeds, the female kittens will hang around with mom for a year or two and they all take care of the kittens.

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  21. I love those star photos of yours! Now that summer break is finally here, I'm itching to try it, if we could just have a night with no rain or clouds. *sigh*

    I think you sound happier and more optimistic in your posts now, too. Time does heal all wounds, even if they leave us with a few beautiful scars to remember them by.

    Could the bobcats be a pair of siblings recently sent on their own by their mother? Perhaps they stayed together even though their mother has moved on?

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