Fall is when we typically see bobcats around, that is if we see them. I admit I like to see them and find bobcats beautiful. Yet bobcats can be a problem with chickens around. We had a couple bobcats around for most of the fall. Most nights when shutting up the farm animals I could see one or two sets of bobcat eyes in the woods on the other side of the road.
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| Bobcat in the woods at dusk. Never got good pictures but seen frequently through November. |
Occasionally we saw 1-3 bobcats out in the daytime, usually on the other side of the road. Like most years they did not seem to be breaching our farmyard fence although they were certainly keeping an eye on the place.
A few chickens are always on the more flighty side and fly out of the fence, out of safety. Head rooster Mo would fly out to keep watch over the flighty crew of hens. Over a couple days in late November being out of the fence was not a good idea and a couple young hens were no more with the bobcats around. A day later more hens must have been out and it looked like Mo fought a good fight, hens were safe Mo paid the price. Mo did his job and protected the flock. He had been with us many years and is missed.
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| Rest in peace Mo, you had some quirks but were a fine protector of the flock for many years. |
It seemed the bobcats had gone until one day in early December I happened to go out to the farmyard at a very crucial time. I was in my PJ's, wearable blanket with cat hood and crocs, I heard chaos in the farmyard so of course I went out to check on things. It was so cold, I wasn't in the right clothes and certainly not the right footwear for that level of cold. I was hoping to check on things and go right back in the house.
Getting out of the cold was not to be as the birds were worried and out of the corner of my eye I saw non- bird movement. It saw me and rushed into what it thought was safety, a large kennel that is in the middle of the farmyard and was used as our rabbits summer accommodation at times. I thought I was seeing a cat- but too big- my brain was trying to process it so I went closer suddenly realizing it was a bobcat.
Fascination and the desire to see the bobcat closer had to wait while I herded all the chickens and ducks into the inner, more secure fenced yard. I thought the bobcat would use that time to escape. It didn't. In my funny cat head wearable blanket and crocs I checked the unused rabbit kennel and there was the bobcat. I was so cold but needed to see this creature who was such a beautiful problem. I imagine she (or he) was freaked out by my appearance in the funny wearable blanket. She was for all intents and purposes trapped. All I would need to do was shut the door of the rabbit kennel. But I didn't. I took pictures because that's what I do. I have been wanting good pictures of a bobcat for years. I spent some time just watching and eventually got just too cold so I attempted to shoo the bobcat out of the kennel and out of the farmyard. She eventually left when I left. Of course she was too scared with me anywhere near and I had the birds locked in safety so she couldn't get at them.
It's been over a month and I haven't seen any sign or tracks of the bobcats. Is the wearable blanket with cat head hood a new predator deterrent?
KitKat OF COURSE tried to get in on the action but wisely held back.
I was sad but not mad, this is nature. The bobcat was hungry. My job as a keeper of poultry is to make their habitat as safe as I can. Live and learn from the experiences.
Dear bobcat, you took a few of our birds and our best rooster in return you gave me some pretty wonderful pictures and a rather interesting, if cold 20 minutes or so. I guess we are even.
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| A Beautiful Problem |
