From the (but not always) File : Bobcat 9/29/2023

   Yesterday just before noon as I stepped out the front door with my dog Nico, I noticed a large brownish cat a few feet from the driveway.  Nico, who was focused on a squirrel, didn't notice that a Bobcat also was interested in the same squirrel. 

   Fortunately my camera was around my neck and I was able to fire off a few shots as the wildcat rose to stalk the squirrel.  

   At that point Nico took notice and abruptly the mission of both cat and dog changed as they renewed the classic ancient rivalry.  Nico sprinted toward the Bobcat who in turn high-tailed it to the tree-line out of the dog's range. 

  Bobcats range in size from 15 to 30 pounds but looks must be deceiving because this thing looked way more than 3 times bigger than my 11 pound cat.

  On second thought their heads appear to be the same size.

Thanks Obama

  This morning I spent about an hour watching a trickle of migrating birds in the skies over my yard.  At one point I spotted some distant Sandhill Cranes (new yard bird,  #138) heading north on a path that probably wouldn't have brought them within a half a block of my house.  Also in the distance I heard the rumble of a helicopter in the direction the cranes were headed.  The cranes must have heard it also because they made a left turn and flew right over my house.     

  It wasn't just any helicopter......

 It was Marine One carrying President Obama to Ann Arbor.

Thanks, Obama

      Below is the last photo I took before I photographed the president chopper.  It was the first time I ever saw Leo on the roof and the first time I purposely took a patriotic photo of a cat.  

My own rooftop security

    By the way,  I didn't realize it was Marine One until I downloaded the photos into my computer 4 hours later.   Before you ask, the president wasn't flying over to see if he should declare my yard a disaster zone. My neighbors already have.

   This isn't my first encounter with the president.  Back a few weeks ago when my blog pageview counter hit 20,000 he dropped me a congratulatory note.....Congrats! 20,000 visitors! How did you prevent the website from crashing?-B. Obama.

  

  Other dignitaries also sent their well-wishes.  Here are a few.

George W. Bush - Thanks for showing the human being and birds can coexist peacefully. 

Gerald R, Ford - Not at my airport they can't.

Vladimir Putin -I read blog with shirt off. 

   Thanks gentlemen and Mr. Putin.  I assure you I'm fully clothed when I write these posts   

Dog and Cat Olympics

On your mark,.........Get set......

........Squirrel

Roscoe practicing for medal ceremony

Leo inspecting the luge run

Opponents exchange greetings

Greetings get a little too familiar 

With his back against the wall

Leo applies the kiss of death
        

 Leo getting his game face on

Battle begins

Setting him up

For the right cross

    Leo is a little disappointed he didn't get a shot at the stray dog problem in Sochi.

                                     

Sleep Mode

What do cats and computers have in common?  After 15 minutes of no activity they put themselves in sleep mode.  Then the cat outsmarts the computer by moving just enough to keep the machine active as she uses it as a heating pad.  Brilliant.

   I had an accident with my car a couple of weeks ago(no one injured) but I think I may have a concussion.  Not from the accident but from the rental car I've been driving since Saturday.  My car, which is in the body shop, has about a foot of head room when I'm in the driver's seat.  The rental car has about 3 inches. . As a result, I banged my head on the door frame of the rental as I entered and exited it the first couple of days.  The headaches are just now fading and my pupils are almost the same size again.   On a positive note, I've been sleeping real well this week.  That's good.......isn't it?

 

Waiting out the Summer Doldrums

  My loyal following (no one) has been asking for new material since my two most recent posts were rehashed old files from my preblogging days.  Been working almost every day in June and July and not a lot of bird activity around.  Here are a few photos I've taken in the past 5 weeks.
  The first three were taken at the Antenna Farm on Haggerman Rd.

Bobolinks

American Goldfinch

Savannah Sparrow

Back in the spring I was driving home from work on West Jefferson south of Vreeland and spotted an Osprey flying over the road carrying a stick.   I looked up and saw that it was headed to the top of a cellphone tower where it had started building a nest.  The next day I was going to pull over and take some photos but a strong overnight storm had blown away the sticks that were there the day before.  Since then the Ospreys reconstructed the nest and appear to have successfully raised a brood.  Late in June I stopped and took a couple of bad photos in poor lighting.

  For a few days around the Fourth of July I saw a leucistic Robin hanging around in front of my neighbor's house.

    Someone in my house keeps letting my cats out during the day.  Last week they appeared to have set up a speed trap for any lead-footed mouse that tried to cross Shed Path Boulevard.

Photographed  a couple of birds after work on Friday morning this week.

Spotted Sandpiper

(un)Spotted Sandpiper

Green Heron

Mink