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Monday, September 19, 2016

Bobcat Tales

I have a tendency to take our abundant bobcats for granted. However, I love watching them, especially at this time of year.

I see two special things in the fall. One is that bobcats start marking like crazy. They love to rub their faces and bodies in the area of the base of a bear marking tree, probably due to the many scents that the bears leave behind there. I'm not sure why bobcat marking reaches a crescendo at this time of year.

A bobcat starting to mark

A bobcat looking up in the middle of marking

The second reason why bobcats are such fun to observe in the fall is that they bring out their kittens to areas where my trail cameras can capture footage of them. For the summer, the kittens spent most of their time in dens, with their mother nursing them and then progressing to bringing them prey to eat in the den. They switch dens frequently to avoid being discovered.

I was absolutely thrilled with some bobcat footage that I captured this summer. In the first sequence of the video below, a bobcat is determined to mark an area in the far left of the frame. A striped skunk is equally determined to chase the bobcat away. I laughed and laughed as I watched the chases!

The second clip is of a mother bobcat and her two kittens who are marking the ground and a rock at the base of a bear marking tree. I adore seeing bobcat kittens - they are so cute! And, I'm thrilled for this mother bobcat. After years of having only one bobcat emerge in the fall, this is her second year in a row of having two!!!

Enjoy the video either here or at Youtube.

20 comments:

  1. Amazing footage again. Wonder why on earth the skunk was chasing the bobcat? We never think such things would happen and I cannot imagine why the skunk was interested.

    Love the kittens who performed so beautifully in the midst of your camera field. We see the occasional bobcat but never a kitten. What a treat. Your bobcats seem larger than ours. I wonder if they are.

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  2. So spotty!

    The skunk clip is fascinating. I had no idea skunks were that gutsy. And the kittens are so cute! Thank you for sharing your cams.

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  3. Precious video,,, so precious!
    love
    tweedles

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  4. Haha, fab video! Very funny, would have never imagined a skunk chasing a bobcat! And love getting a fix of cuteness with the kittens.

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  5. that is one bodacious skunk. (bodacious is a word. I looked it up)
    I love the kittens.

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    1. Great word! Before today, I'd only heard in a very different context! I never visualized skunks being aggressive due to their stink but this one sure was!!!

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  6. I had to giggle at that skunk too...and those kits are adorable!!

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  7. That skunk, quite determined. And the bobcat kittens, We have watched that twice tonight, truly wonderful.

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  8. How precious to see Mama Bobcat and her kittens interacting. That skunk is too funny☺

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  9. The skunk and the bobcat cracked me up. I loved watching the Bobcats play!

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  10. amazing footage of those kittens and their mama.. they are beautiful... I had to laugh at the skunk chase, to funny. who knew they could be attack skunks

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  11. That skunk and bobcat footage was too funny. We really love seeing momma bobcat with her kittens too.

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  12. So beautiful. Love their little pointy ears
    Lily & Edward

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  13. Love this video KB. It makes me remember when we saw the two bobcats up in Estes. Thanks for sharing; hoping you are all having a great day!
    Hugs, Noreen

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  14. Oh No Skunked. Even bobcats don't want that to happen. That darn hawk we have in the neighborhood has gotten almost all the bunnies. I guess it has to be survival of the fittest but it is sad.
    Sweet William The Scot

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  15. Had to chuckle at the skunk! What power...

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  16. Dang, that skunk is pretty bold! Great post!

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  17. such wonderful images and footage!
    amazing how that skunk just kept chasing her!

    Do you have a suggestion for a trail camera for me. It is time for one.

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