We sat on one ridge, and the bobcat on the other.
Kim had his binoculars, and I, my camera with zoom. Pippa lies beside me; as of yet, oblivious to our growing excitement.
It is in a picture-perfect location for a photo. Something right out of a National Geographic. A sculptured rock overhang, sunshine all around, nothing but desert wilderness for miles. I am already holding the award-letter in my hands.
Kim passes me the binoculars, which have a larger range than my camera. “He’s just sitting there for us!” he says, in the hushed way you yell and whisper at the same time.
Sure enough, he’s sitting right there in the shadow, regal as a tiger, staring across the desert. “He’s looking right at us!” I shout-whisper. “He totally knows were looking at him!”
Pippa sits up now, and stares in the direction of the overhang in the distance.
Kim and I spend time each day, doing this.
Sitting on a ridge, quietly looking out over the desert, watching for the activity of animals. Noting different trees, signs of water or other things of interest.
We have been especially hoping to see Coatimundi, a mammal in the raccoon family that lives here.https://g.co/kgs/YPqJE3
Kim saw a large group of them when he was here in the fall, and we’re hopeful to see them again. So far, they have eluded us. Getting a good look at a bobcat would be the perfect antidote to their absence!
It takes us nearly a half-our to creep our way across the desert; me going one way with Pippa, Kim going another with binoculars. Taking a few steps, stopping, peeking through camera, hiding behind bushes. Snapping another photo. Repeating.
Of course, its a bobcat, so it knows exactly where we are. We aren’t fooling anyone.
Still, it seems the way to do it. Maybe it will treat us to a close encounter.
We are certainly getting closer!
It’s been sitting so still, I’m hopeful it will stay put for just another couple of minutes, allowing me one good photograph before we all call a stand-down.
Except it’s a branch!
We both realize it at the same time, from different angles. We laughed so hard.
It was the most exciting bobcat encounter either of us have never had!
Haha, I kept staring from every angle, thinking “I must be blind as a bat, I cannot see it! I definitely need new glasses.”
::lol:: I was squinting so hard to see it!
Clever bobcat to morph into a branch.☺
Great story! We had coatimundis when we lived in Costa Rica — they’re a LOT of fun to see, especially with their crazy long tails waving around up in the air. Maybe you’ll still catch sight of them.