Eastman Living Online Magazine

BY AMY HOFFMAN

Bobcats have been reported many times this season.

Debra Lavoie, who is a professional photographer living in Bright Slope Special Place, has taken the best photo of a bobcat I’ve ever seen. She said: I have been observing this lovely bobcat’s behavior, and she likes to rub up against objects just like your indoor kitty. She closes her eyes to bask in the sun and patiently hunts when hungry. Quite good at it I might add.

I think the same Bobcat has been seen by Rae Tober who reports:

After the first big snowstorm (6 inches) in early December 2019, as I looked out my window, there was a cat coming towards the corner of my house on Clearwater Drive. First thought was a neighborhood or stray cat. With its squished face, I knew immediately it was not a cat! But my next thought was it could not be a bobcat because of its short legs. Suddenly it dawned on me that it was sinking into the snow and in fact was a bobcat! My first bobcat during all these years. Now the only animal I have not seen by my home is a moose. Maybe someday?

Andy and Betty Kargacos also reported seeing a bobcat in the same area. They saw it catch a mouse and, like a kitten, play with it for a while before it became breakfast.

LeeAnn Turgeon-Rutkovsky reported seeing a bobcat several times between December and February, as well as a porcupine on January 3 on Eagle Drive.

Another bobcat was seen on Glenwood Road by Paul Hoffman in late December. Years ago, bobcats were seldom seen. I hope Eastman continues to be a bobcat haven!

Glenwood Road has had a bear wander through the area many times, and in late December it came through again and took two of my favorite bird feeders. This bear is supposed to be sleeping not eating! If anyone finds my feeders, I will be very grateful for their return.

Ramon Leiva reported seeing a piliated woodpecker December 30. What a beautiful bird.

David Swillum of Bogie Place saw a barred owl on December 3.

Filed under: What's Out There.