Bobcat sighting!

Christine Birch was in town over the weekend and she organized a group run to catch up with everyone and get to have some pizza and brew afterward at Lucky 13.  There are always lots of deer and elk up on Highland Valley and Cobb Trails this time of year so I suggested we go there.  The only drawback was it was a bit rainy which meant Homestead trail would be muddy and we would have to run two miles of greenbelt to get to Highland Valley.  Most trail runners avoid the greenbelt like the plague but everyone was a good sport about it.

I needed some extra miles this day so I showed up early and ran a 10 mile loop alone.  It was dark when on was on the greenbelt and I thought I saw an animal cross my path when I saw some green eyes.  I was a bit leery since Derek was blasted by a skunk somewhere around here several years back but then it turned and appeared to be a coyote.  When we came back through with the larger group I was looking around to see if the coyote was still hanging around and notice this in the trees.

You can see how well camouflaged it is and I could hardly believe my eyes!  It was a very large bobcat and had apparently just plopped down in the tree after I passed it.  We all stopped and snapped pictures them moved on.  

Our run was fun.  No mud with lots of deer and elk.  Then on the way back we looked in the tree again just to see if the bobcat was still there and it was! Crazy.  I was sure it was protecting young or something since they are normally nocturnal but who knows.  It was fun to catch a glimpse of such a cool animal.  This picture was from the second time we saw it and was taken from the greenbelt with a cell phone.