This clearing in a forest is a mountain lion favorite. You might remember it from when a lion visited it 2-3X per day while he devoured a carcass that he had cached nearby. There has never been quite that level of activity since then but it is a spot that lions and other carnivores visit regularly.
This video includes 6 months of visitors: bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions. Not only do single male lions visit there but families do too! Be sure to watch to the end to see a mother lion with her two kittens play in the clearing.
The mountain lions are so beautiful and they sure do have large paws!
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDelete...as much as anything, I enjoy being able to hear the critters as the move! YAM xx
wow the tail!!! that's impressing...
ReplyDeleteI continue to be amazed at how active your wild carnivores are in daylight. So much for my reassuring fantasy that when the dogs and I are hiking all the cougar are sleeping...
ReplyDeleteAre your cameras triggered by movement, or do they record everything? Wondering how much 'down time' you have to review when putting together a two minute clip for us? I appreciate SO MUCH all the effort you put into sharing the action!!!
Chris from Boise
My cams are motion triggered. At a cam like this one, the good stuff is probably 25% of what I get. The rest of the clips are triggered by wind, falling snow, rodents, or animals who run by too fast for the cam to actually record them. 25% is actually a pretty good keeper rate. In a meadow, the grass moves so often that it might be 5%. But I love it anyway. (and yes, the cougars are probably out there and nearby even when you are - fortunately, they seem to know what their normal prey is, all except for juveniles who are the ones who cause the most problems for humans and our domesticated animals). Have you read the Cougar Conundrum? It's good.
DeleteWhew - a lot of editing!! But at least you don't have the 98% of "nothing happening - not even a breeze". I hadn't heard of Cougar Conundrum - just requested it from the library. Thanks for the recommendation.
DeleteMy approach to hiking around large predators is walk boldly and chatter to the dogs; the only place I avoid hiking by myself (with dogs or without) is grizzly country, which is hundreds of miles from here. Here it's just black bears, wolves and cougars.
Chris from Boise
That sounds like a good strategy! I also try to put a can of "halt" in my pocket, just in case I need a last ditch thing to do in an animal confrontation.
DeleteSo much going on that we would never see without your cameras. We have lions here too, but I have never seen one. We used to have lots of bobcats, but now they are too are gone. No more bear sightings. Only the coyotes remain. To be seen that is, who knows what's happening when I'm not watching.
ReplyDeletethis seems to be a favorite place for doing their 'budiness' and so happy to see the coyote looks well fed. the mama and her cub are so beautiful, there is something that reaches out to me when looking at the Big Cats
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is the bobcat. The mannerisms are so similar to my house cats! Great footage.
ReplyDeleteSince I can't see these amazing felines in person...I am quite thankful for you cams
ReplyDeleteHugs Cecilia
Big kitty, coyote (love the dump), big kitty and big kitty. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to the pups. ♥
We love seeing those critters, all of them!
ReplyDeleteMountain lions are such majestic creatures. Love seeing them in their natural habitat.
ReplyDeleteA lot is done before we see your end video, and I, and I'm sure all the others, so value and appreciate the clips, love that bobcat, just like our own domestic ones, and to see the lion hop over the tree trunk, others take the long way round. This is a spectacular gathering place for so many,
ReplyDeleteThanks for more beautifully recorded kitty and coyote footage!
ReplyDeleteThat cougar kitten was too funny pouncing on mom. She surprised us.
ReplyDeleteLoved the video. Thank you for posting.
ReplyDeleteHad to grin - as I watched the bobcat rolling around, my house cat Mittens was doing the same thing on the floor beside me :)
ReplyDeleteWe love watching and hearing the lives of the animals in your world. Those are some BIG kitties with very big paws.
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