Last weekend I was out shooting in the wetlands again, and had my third nice photographic opportunity with a lovely bobcat. I shared some shots from my last encounter in September, and thought y'all might like some more!
I first spotted him about 30 feet away, rubbing some scent along some reeds and gnawing on a stalk...I believe this is one of the cubs I had photographed with its mom back in September, now more grown:
It caught my scent or heard me, and sat down and turned around to have a look at me, I guess to see if I was a threat
He made some grumbling noises and watched me for a while, but didn't look terribly threatened or worried
He then started walking off, and I walked parallel to him - surprisingly his walk took him even a little closer to me, about 25 feet away - and I just walked along slowly in the same direction taking some shots as we went
The walk never seemed to be about getting away from me, as he made no attempt to head into the heavier brush where I couldn't follow
He stopped along the way and found a scent that seemed to really get his attention - he sneezed a few times and started drooling and closing his eyes to take in that scent and taste, probably of another cat. He looked back at me while drooling, just to make sure I wasn't going to be a bother
A little lick to clean up the drool
He then suddenly turned his head quickly - staring off ahead of us like he heard a sound or saw something...one more shot, and then *poof*! He shot off into the brush and that was the end of my encounter!
Hope you enjoyed - always a great privilege to see such an animal in the wild - and a nice break from the usual birds.
Comments, questions, critique welcomed.
I first spotted him about 30 feet away, rubbing some scent along some reeds and gnawing on a stalk...I believe this is one of the cubs I had photographed with its mom back in September, now more grown:
It caught my scent or heard me, and sat down and turned around to have a look at me, I guess to see if I was a threat
He made some grumbling noises and watched me for a while, but didn't look terribly threatened or worried
He then started walking off, and I walked parallel to him - surprisingly his walk took him even a little closer to me, about 25 feet away - and I just walked along slowly in the same direction taking some shots as we went
The walk never seemed to be about getting away from me, as he made no attempt to head into the heavier brush where I couldn't follow
He stopped along the way and found a scent that seemed to really get his attention - he sneezed a few times and started drooling and closing his eyes to take in that scent and taste, probably of another cat. He looked back at me while drooling, just to make sure I wasn't going to be a bother
A little lick to clean up the drool
He then suddenly turned his head quickly - staring off ahead of us like he heard a sound or saw something...one more shot, and then *poof*! He shot off into the brush and that was the end of my encounter!
Hope you enjoyed - always a great privilege to see such an animal in the wild - and a nice break from the usual birds.
Comments, questions, critique welcomed.
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; Unfortunately, the other cub had a run-in with a much larger predator in the wetlands and is no more - two photographer friends of mine witnessed the unfortunate aftermath when they saw a large alligator swimming with the body.
