Colorado Nature Narratives

Ten months ago in one of my first blogs, I used a quote from my favorite nature writer Ann Zwinger. The year 2010 marked the 40th anniversary of her classic natural history book, Beyond the Aspen Grove, still my favorite. I chose my nature blog’s tagline “always something new to discover” from Ann’s words:

Beginning to know these mountain acres has been to discover a puzzle with a million pieces already set out on a table. Occasionally a few pieces fit together and we gain another awareness of the land’s total pattern of existence, of its intricate interdependencies, enhanced by knowing that the puzzle will never be completed. There will always be something new to discover… (From Chapter 1, Beyond the Aspen Grove)

As I write today, a snowstorm has settled over Colorado Springs and every shape outside my window is now etched in white. With 2010 drawing to a close, I am reflecting on the turning seasons of this year and thought I’d share a few of my favorite Colorado discoveries with you, with homage to Ann Zwinger.

Sandhill Cranes and Sunset, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, late winter

Northern Flicker, late winter

Bobcat with two of her four kittens, late spring

Alpine Tundra Wildflowers: Alpine Forget-Me-Nots and Dwarf Clover on the west slope of Pikes Peak, mid-summer

Golden aspen leaves paint the mountainsides in autumn

Snow-covered Backyard with pond, aspen trees and tall stalks of teasel, early winter

Happy New Year!

Photo Credits: Cranes, Bobcats, Wildflowers, Aspen and Pond by Melissa Walker; Flicker by Les Goss

Frequent readers of my blog may be wondering what happened to the mother bobcat and her kittens that I wrote about earlier this summer. Our westside Colorado Springs neighborhood proved to be a good wildlife habitat for the bobcat family.

The mother bobcat successfully raised all 4 of her kittens in our neighbor’s (the Bracketts) backyard until the kittens were ready to move to a new territory. The kittens practiced climbing trees, and as they got older, climbed the Bracketts’ backyard fence to follow their mother, probably to learn how to hunt squirrels and rabbits. On hot days, the kittens stayed in their den until early evening. All of our neighbors were alerted about the bobcat family, and there were no negative encounters between “our” wildcat and pets or people. Soon after the first week of July, the mother bobcat and her kittens left “the nursery” and haven’t been seen since. I still miss them. Many of my neighbors also observed the mother bobcat during her 10-week stay in our neighborhood and we were all fascinated by this glimpse of one of Colorado’s most beautiful species of wildlife.

Mother Bobcat in early July

To read earlier posts about the bobcats, click on the “Bobcat” category.

Photo credit: Les Goss

On June 1, Laura Brackett, my neighbor across the street, called with exciting news. “The bobcat is in my backyard and has 4 kittens!” So, the bobcat that has been ranging in our westside Colorado Springs neighborhood since April 22 is definitely a female and has found adequate food, water and shelter to make this her temporary home. The bobcat has hidden her den and kittens underneath thick juniper bushes in the Brackett’s backyard.

During the past week, Laura and I have tried to photograph the growing family without disturbing the mother bobcat. We quietly observe and photograph from the Brackett’s second-floor deck. We think that the kittens are about five weeks old and were kept hidden the first few weeks.

Laura and her husband Dave observe the bobcat family in the morning and early evening when the mother nurses her kittens next to their juniper-sheltered den. Watching with binoculars, Laura and Dave report that the mother bobcat is successful in finding prey for her kittens. In addition to a fox squirrel, the Bracketts have also seen the remains of both a red fox and a skunk.

On June 9, the mother bobcat nursed her kittens closer to the house and Laura captured some great images. My thanks to Laura Brackett for providing the following photos that record part of the mother bobcat’s daily life.

Bobcat Kittens in constant motion.

Bobcat nursing her kittens

Bobcat Kitten after nursing

Kitten plays in leaves

Mother bobcat & curious kittens

Almost finished nursing

Morning feeding completed

FYI: The white object visible in some of the photos is part of the drip sprinkler system. For more information and photos about our neighborhood bobcat, please visit my April and May Colorado Nature Narratives Blog postings.