Beast of the Northern Wild

 

Now this is the Law of the Jungle — as old and as true as the sky;

Rudyard Kipling

A bobcat visited us for lunch yesterday. You will notice the sculpture Transience in the background of this photo. Close enough to make these photos from my kitchen. This is the closest that I have been to a  cat in the wild. It waited around for 20 minutes or so looking for a squirrel or mouse (or our dog!) for lunch and then, not having any luck, moved on…

Face to face

P1050425

 

10 thoughts on “Beast of the Northern Wild

  1. onepresence 03/28/2013 / 3:34 pm

    Those are some great photos, Roger. Thank you for sharing your Northern nature with us all. I was sharing that the night before last here in the city of Miami two raccoons ran across the street in front of my car, and jumped through a fence into a yard, and Ernest said he had seen a fox in Miami Shores. We know they are here even though they are often hidden, and we coexist in this close-to-urban setting, encroaching on nature. not really wanting to tame it.

  2. Cindy Adams Coulson 03/28/2013 / 4:22 pm

    What a beautiful animal! It must have been amazing to be able to watch him for 20 minutes.

  3. Roger Vincent Jasaitis 03/28/2013 / 8:28 pm

    Cindy, be sure to show the children what they will be communing with this summer 🙂

  4. christina cramer 03/29/2013 / 4:45 pm

    Great photos, it looks like a big kitty-cat… Interesting that in the last photo (walking) the two right appendages are so close together. Tom and I were camping in CA redwood country and sleeping in the back of the truck in a cab with windows…we awoke to hear thumps …. a big heavy cat jumped on the hood of the engine, pounced up on the roof, and then strutted its stuff across the roof of the cab, and jumped down to the ground and disappeared into the woods quickly. We got a glimpse of it before it disappeared.

    I have no idea what size the lovely painting is so I’ll say $300. for a bid.

  5. Roger Vincent Jasaitis 03/29/2013 / 5:21 pm

    Good observation about the legs Tina, as with all cats (and this is a good way to track them) they walk in their own footprints. I have never heard why but I would conjecture that this technique lessens the chance of stepping on an unseen twig with the back feet and alerting their prey.

    • christina cramer 03/29/2013 / 8:52 pm

      Thanks for the tracking lesson I agree with you.

  6. Kathy 03/30/2013 / 4:10 am

    Beautiful creature, Roger. How incredible to see him for 20 minutes. Cool stuff! On an unrelated note; Bri arrived in Munich at 12:26 am pt and will be at his final destination of Ankra in 2 hours. He has been flying since 8 am. He will be working in Ankra for 29 days. Happy Easter!!
    love to Nance and Tinker
    xoxo
    Kath

  7. Katy Locke 03/30/2013 / 2:04 pm

    Thank you for sharing these breath-taking photos. Wow! According to Ted Andrews, bob cat energy is about being solitary without being lonely, being able to turn on and off creative forces as needed, and understanding the power of silence. It also suggests that some new learning opportunity is about to present itself to you and – not to worry – within 7-10 months you’ll be a pro. -Katy

    • Roger Vincent Jasaitis 03/31/2013 / 7:02 pm

      Isn’t it interesting how humans give attributes (both real and mythic) to specific animals. Every culture going back in history does this. How many sports teams have “mascots” or names that involve animals? What do we see in animal nature that prompts this? Or is it something in ourselves that yearn for a connection to animalism?

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