A Gray Fox paid a visit to Rozann Grunig's The Sea Ranch home. It turned and posed so Rozann could get this photo. These Foxes are great rodent hunters. TSR seems to have a great abundance of Gophers so this small hunter is a welcome sight.
Thanks to Rozann for allowing me to share her photo with you here. To see a photo of Fox Kits, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/31/two-photos-of-gray-fox-kits-by-coastal-photographer-craig-tooley/
Jim Garlock photographed a Bobcat recently. He entitled it "You looking at me?"
We are lucky to have these fascinating creatures living wild on the Mendonoma Coast. They are great rodent hunters so those plagued with Gophers are always happy to see one pay them a visit.
To see a dramatic photo of a Bobcat leaping, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/06/09/bobcat-caught-in-mid-air-by-drew-fagan-in-gualala/
And to see a Bobcat walking a labyrinth on the Gualala Ridge, here's that link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/04/21/bobcat-walking-a-labyrinth-an-amazing-sight-on-the-gualala-ridge/
Being on the Coast today is like being in a dream. A high pressure system is pushing a big storm up into Oregon and Washington (sorry, Steve!), leaving us with a lovely spring-like day.
A beautiful Bobcat, Lynx rufus, paid a visit to Emily Nelson's place on the Gualala Ridge and Emily captured several great photographs. I've read that Bobcats prefer to eat Rabbits and Hares but they will eat anything from insects all the way up to Deer. Here on the Mendonoma Coast we mostly see them hunting Gophers.
Once in a while someone will mistake a Bobcat for a Mountain Lion, which is pretty ridiculous. Bobcats are about twice the size of a domestic cat and have a bobbed tail. Mountain Lions are three to five feet long and have a long tail. They weigh well in excess of a hundred pounds. Emily's Bobcat visitor doesn't weigh more than 30 pounds. I thank her for allowing me to share her photo here.
