Bobcat, Point Reyes National Seashore
Photo of a bobcat walking a ridgeline. It had just caught and eaten a gopher.
Tag: gopher
Male Bobcat, Point Reyes National Seashore
Me? Gopher Tartare, of course.
I was out at Point Reyes yesterday. Saw three bobcats. This is the only one I got some decent shots of. Saw a couple of coyotes as well and they also were not in a cooperative mood. Some smaller, less competitive bull elephant seals are again hanging out at Drakes Beach as they started doing a few years back. Didn’t see many fenced-in elk at Tomales Point which is consistent with NPS’s policy of letting them die during drought years rather than providing them with food. 244 elk died at Tomales Point in the past two years under NPS’s “let nature take its course” policy animal enclosure policy. Thank God the rest of the zoos in the world give food and water to the animals they have locked up.
Bobcat, Point Reyes National Seashore
I was at Point Reyes the other day. My old friend Handsome Bob, the bobcat, was there to greet me. I have known this bobcat for several years now. I call him Handsome Bob because he has very distinct spots makings along his sides where most bobcats have fewer and fainter markings.
My Old Friend, Handsome Bob
Handsome Bobcat, After Eating a Very Large Gopher
I’m not very happy photographing animals against white skies. It happens more with birds than mammals and I often don’t even bother, but Bob left me no choice. He was looking his handsome self and so I cranked up the exposure compensation and fired away. Bob looks good no matter what. To see larger versions of Bob’s photos, click to see my portfolio pages here and here.
A Day at Point Reyes National Seashore
I was out at Point Reyes two days ago. It was a very good day. I saw and photographed multiple bobcats and coyotes.
This bobcat was hunting gophers. Bobcats use their paws to catch gophers in their burrows. Their mouths are not designed to fit into the narrow space of a gopher burrow. Their paws are also fairly large in relation to the size of a gopher burrow. Based on my observations, I would say their batting average is fairly low.
Coyotes use their mouths to catch rodents in their burrows. They don’t have sharp, retractable claws and don’t seem disadvantaged in that regard. That long slender snout seems built for the task. Based on my observations, they have a much higher batting average than bobcats in catching rodents in the top of their burrows. This coyote was with its mate and another individual.
While I’m always happy to get the opportunity to photograph bobcats and coyotes, what made the day really special was seeing and photographing a peregrine falcon and a badger. I don’t get many opportunities to photograph either of them.
I don’t know if this is a female or an immature or both. Its markings were not as nice as the peregrine I posted here. However, I’m always happy to photograph a peregrine.
Badgers are very nocturnal so it’s always a treat to spot one. The recent rains have created damp, dark soil which stands out when a badger digs up areas where there are good populations of gophers. I also love the rich greens of the grasses at this time of year. Everything has been brown this winter until we got some decent rains in the past few weeks. For those that don’t know, California is suffering from the worst drought in history.
Bobcat, Point Reyes National Seashore
I went out to Point Reyes today. It was a beautiful day. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the place was very crowded. It was a slow day for me photography-wise. Fortunately, near the end of the day this male bobcat saw me and decided I needed some cheering up. So, he decided to walk toward me rather than make the normal quick exit in the opposite direction. Thanks “Bob.”
Coyote in Gopherville
This coyote was photographed hunting gophers on ranch land in Point Reyes National Seashore. The ranch lands provide good habitat for gophers. A healthy population of gophers (and other rodents) means a good food supply for predators that feed on gophers, such as coyotes, bobcats and badgers. When I drive through these lands, most other drivers are intent on getting by me and getting to their destinations as quickly as possible. They seem oblivious to the wildlife they pass by. If you would like to purchase a print of this image click here.
Bobcat Hunting Gophers
This bobcat was hunting gophers. Gophers are plentiful at Point Reyes, at least in the agricultural areas. They are an important food source for coyotes, bobcats, badgers and other predators at the Seashore. If this bobcat could talk he would probably say there is no such thing as too many gophers.
