The Bobcat Bar: Love, Drama, and a Dirty Fern
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Welcome back to Wild Notes! In this series, take a walk on the wild side with Kevin to see the natural world from the perspective of a seasoned naturalist.
Over the past few weeks, we witnessed a charming little drama at the edge of our woods: a bobcat romance, complete with courtship, mild tension, and what may have been a quiet breakup. Thanks to our trail cameras—and a simple tub of water—we caught the whole thing.
It began one Saturday morning when I got a wildlife cam alert. I assumed it was the crow family raising three frantic fledglings in our yard, but when I checked the clip, I saw a bobcat calmly sipping from the watering hole we’d set up near the trees.
Julie, watching from her office window, spotted the bobcat—and another one beside it. Likely a male and female, based on size. Daytime bobcat sightings are rare on our homestead. Two together? Even rarer. It was a magical moment with a somewhat voyeuristic feel since it felt like we were witnessing a secret date.
A few days later, the couple returned for a second rendezvous, just before sunset. One camera had already flipped to night mode, so the footage has an extra dash of drama alternating between color and black-and-white. The male seemed a bit cranky at first—maybe she was late?—but they soon vanished into the bushes for some privacy.
Later, the female reappeared for a solo drink and grooming session before heading back into the woods, as if called by her off-camera companion. In another clip a few days later, she wandered through the forest looking, if we dare say, a bit wistful. If kittens result from this romance, she’ll raise them alone—standard for bobcats, and clearly a strategy that works.
But then... nothing. The trail cams only picked up solo visits. In one, the female paused at the watering hole, left a "message" on a nearby fern, and disappeared. A parting shot? A territorial mark? Some mystery is best left unsolved.
The male showed up once more earlier in the week, drank, and pulled a classic vanishing act—no goodbye, no drama, just gone.
Still, they shared a moment. Maybe their paths will cross again. If they do, here’s hoping the cameras are rolling—because this beats anything on reality TV.
If you want more wildlife sightings where you live, consider setting up a water source. Birdbaths, low dishes, or small fountains attract all kinds of critters—without the downsides of feeding. Just keep them clean. You never know who might stop by for a drink... or a date.
