Bobcat

Bobcat -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II, ISO: 800, f/5.6, 1/250s

The ol' random number generator pulled up this picture from last year.  It's a bobcat that Pongo and I saw at Pinnacles National Park.  This is the third of three that I've seen there in the last few years.  So, yeah, if you want to go someplace where you have at least a chance of seeing a bobcat, you could do worse than Pinnacles.

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 148, image #7914.

Bobcat

Bobcat -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II, 1/400s, f/5.6, ISO: 800

There aren't too many things in life that I find more exciting than seeing wildlife in their natural habitats.  Pongo and I bumped into this Bobcat a few months ago at Pinnacles National Park.  He didn't seem to be too bothered by our presence.  I suppose he figured he could easily handle the two of us if he had to.

Pinnacles' Pinnacles

Pinnacles National Park, CA

Canon EOS Rebel T5i,  EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, 1/125s, f/8, ISO: 100

I'm always trying to get a good shot from this spot.  Pongo and I usually make a stop at the riverbed and I take a few photos and I'm never really satisfied with the results.  This is the best I've ever been able to pull off.  Mornings are best.

California Condor

California Condor -- Pinnacles National Monument, CA
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS, 1/250s, f/5.8, ISO: 100

This picture is from a trip to Pinnacles National Monument a few years back.  It hadn't been promoted to a National Park yet.  Turkey vultures are good sized birds, but the vulture on the right looks pretty small next to the condor.  This is the best look I've ever had of one.

The Committee

Turkey Vulture -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/1250s, f/5, ISO: 125

I've seen vultures gathering on this dead tree near the visitor's center a few times.  Once there was even a condor on the tree with them.  That was the best look I've ever had at a wild condor.

Turkey vultures aren't the prettiest of birds.  They aren't graceful fliers.  They don't seem to be particularly smart or clever.  They're all right by me, though.

Coyote in the Meadow

Coyote -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/1600s, f5.6, ISO: 640

As Pongo and I were leaving Pinnacles National Park this weekend I was lamenting to him how we'd never seen a coyote during any of our visits.  We heard one while camping once, but that was the closest we had come.  Within a minute of my uttering of those words we saw this coyote in the big meadow near the entrance of the park.

This coyote was skittish.  I pulled over when I saw him and had to get out of the car to get to my camera which I'd packed away for the drive home.  When he saw me get out of the car he moved out across the meadow, putting a good deal of distance between us in a very short time.  Although it cost me any shot at a good picture, I was OK with that given their status as undesirable animals in most rural areas of the US.  Personally, I'm a fan, but a lot of folks would like to see then exterminated.

Hangin' Out

Turkey Vulture -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO: 250

Pongo and I went camping at Pinnacles last light.  We woke up to over a dozen vultures circling over the campground.  I didn't spot any condors in the mix.  Around there, condors can often been seen mixed in with the turkey vultures.  The vultures are better at spotting dead stuff than the condors.  The bigger birds use the vultures as advance scouts.

It was a nice night.  Pongo called it quits early, right after dinner.  About an hour later he flopped out of the car completely freaked out.  I guess he fell asleep then woke up not knowing where he was.  Poor guy.  He was fine after he got his bearings.  He's wound so tight.

Another Bobcat Photo

Bobcat -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm Zoom Lens, 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO: 2000

My camera had to work pretty hard for this shot.  I was shooting through my passenger side window and between two wooden fence beams.  You can see the bottom of the upper beam as the dark area in the top right side of the picture.  The fence and the tough angle led to the awkward framing of the picture.  The tall grass and the fact that the cat was in the shade didn't help matters.  This is another of the pictures of the bobcat I took on Sunday.

Bobcat

Bobcat -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm Zoom Lens, 1/400s, f/5.6, ISO: 800 

Pongo

Pongo loves going to Pinnacles.  He loves seeing the cows near the park and he loves seeing the deer in the park.  He's also a little frightened of the cows and deer unless the deer turn and run, then he wants to give chase.

We've camped at Pinnacles, but usually we just go for a day visit.  Either way, Pongo isn't allowed on the hiking trails so we normally take a walk around the campground and perhaps another walk along the road.  Winter is the best time for us to visit because the campground is empty of people and teeming with wildlife.  The highlight of yesterday's trip, though, came on the road to Bear Gulch where I saw a bobcat.  He was in the road as we rounded a corner but moved up into the grass beneath a tree as we pulled up.  Pongo never saw him, which is probably good because I suspect he'd have tried to lunge out of the window if he had.  Just as well.  I watched the cat for about ten minutes and took a ton of pictures.  The lighting and tall grass made it difficult but I was able to get a few quality shots.  A lot the photos that weren't technically good are still interesting to look at, or at least I think so.  This is probably my favorite shot.  A condor or bobcat sighting at Pinnacles means a day well spent in my book.