Sometimes you go looking for birds and end up finding something else. For me, it was a bobcat.
It happened on Sunday morning, May 5, when I went to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to do some birding. I decided to head over to Playalinda Beach to see if there might be some shore birds hanging around there.
While driving down Playalinda Beach Road, I caught a flash of movement on the right side of the pavement. Thinking back to those old Tweety and Sylvester cartoons, I began thinking, “I twat I taw a puddy tat? I did! I did taw a puddy tat.”
But there was a car right behind me, so I couldn’t immediately stop to check. I had to make my way to one of the beach parking areas before I could turn around and go back toward where I thought I saw the cat – hoping it might still be around.
Imagine my surprise as I came around a corner and there was the bobcat sitting on the side of the road – like it was waiting for me to return to take its picture. I took advantage of the opportunity and clicked away with my camera while it posed for a bit and then headed across the road into some scrub.
This was the first time I have seen a bobcat in the wild, and obviously the first I have photographed. I can’t wait for the next opportunity.
