For a while now, we've known that we live near a bobcat territory boundary.  We've set up our trail camera so that we get to view the scat, scent, and scratch process. What we didn't know is that coyotes would also be interested in that spot.  Or rather, perhaps they were interested in the scent left by our dog, Tiva, after she added it to the bobcat spot.  This week, we had a third visitor, who didn't scent but who left some mighty big tracks under our deck! Note the temperature on the trail camera.  We know one of the camera's sensors is a bit off, but it was certainly well below zero!

With the Park not fully open, Andy and I stayed closer to home this week.  We just had to get out of the house, though, so we took Tiva on a walk in the afternoon.  We just love coming up our hill and always look for who might be around the neighborhood.  Today it was a young bobcat!  I can't believe Andy spotted it next to the tree. We've seen several (or one several times) on our trail camera, but seeing it in person was incredible!  It looked at us a few times but then went about its business -- quite literally, and peed or pooped in the snow.  It carefully buried its business afterwards and then went on its way.

There is a beautiful stone walkway that goes between our house and our neighbor's house.  Years ago, the two houses belonged to the same owner and this is a relic.  We have trail cameras at the base and top of the stairs, and it is fun to see who comes by.  Most of the time it is deer, but lately, the kitties are back in town.  No wonder Tiva is afraid of the dark!  (Note that the clock on one of the trail cameras is off -- it was only ONE mountain lion that walked by).  Enjoy!

Thank heavens we don't have many skunks that live in our area.  We've only seen a couple of individuals on our trail cameras over the years.  On this morning, though, we had a western spotted skunk visit.  How cute!

Rocky Mountain National Park just started the timed entry system.  That means you reserve a time to go into the park.  We were excited to enter the park first thing in the morning and I went on a very quiet trail.  It had been 10 years since I'd seen a snowshoe hare, but on this day I saw 6!  They must have been young, since they ran towards me several times and then chased each other through the woods.  I can't say I got a single good picture of them, but they were so cute, I just had to share.  

Rocky Mountain National Park was closed for over 2 months and we sure missed going there.  I'm sure the wildlife was thrilled to have all that peace and quiet, though!  We didn't want to be the "first" to go in but the following day we ventured out of the neighborhood and into the Park.  We knew it was about time when the elk have their babies, and as we were leaving, we spotted this mother tending to her calf.  It wasn't a newborn, but it was nice to see our first one of the season!

I know I just posted a blog about mice, but we're still seeing many of them every night when we take Tiva out.  The abundant seed crop last year must be keeping them busy. Recently, we also found two meadow voles chewing on some wood.   The first picture is of one of the voles.  Can you see how much bigger the vole is compared to the deer mouse? 

With the Park  still  closed, we're walking in the neighborhood a lot.  On Monday, Andy found a mule deer carcass that looked like it had been buried by a mountain lion.  It was near a house, but after discussing with the neighbor, we learned it was vacant so in the evening we put up 2 trail cameras.  Each morning Andy would fetch the cameras, but the first night, the lion just covered it up a bit better, and we only got two pictures.  Then the second night, she ate a lot but moved the carcass,  and the cameras again only caught a couple pictures. They say 3rd time's a charm and that was so true for us.  Here you can see a partially buried buck, a brave mouse and the momma lion with her two kittens.  You can see that she helps move the carcass (and take off its fur) so the kittens have better access.  You can also see that she takes a pee break in the middle of the night and that the kittens are curious about the camera.  When it is time to go, you can see momma carefully cover the carcass to save it for another day.  Ah, the things that go on when we're asleep... 

Note that all times are one hour later than on the camera (we forgot to change times for daylight savings).  (Click on an image to enlarge). 

Since we live in the mountains, we are used to mice.  Luckily, most of them stay outside and we co-exist well.  This spring there have been incredible numbers of mice in our yard.  We've seen them during the day and regularly see several at night.  If we shine the flashlight on them, they will sometimes stop to investigate.  This cutie was so curious!

Since all the parks are closed, Andy and I have been walking in the neighborhoods.  It was very bright and sunny this afternoon and we marveled that there weren't as many Wyoming Ground Squirrels scurrying about as yesterday.  Then a Common Raven flew overhead and I got the camera ready for a photo.  Soon we realized why it was circling around.  There was a Wyoming Ground Squirrel that had strayed too far from its den.  For the next 52 seconds we watched as the ground squirrel tried to fend off the raven.  Just when it looked like he had escaped to a nearby bush, a Red-tailed Hawk swooped in!  He/she must have known it wasn't his or hers, though, and quickly left.  We wondered if the ground squirrel had gotten away, but soon the raven came back and seized its prize.  There is one less ground squirrel in the world today, but it put up a gallant effort.  We are in awe.  RIP little one.

My mother thinks that March means spring, but as a many-year resident of Colorado, I know there can be months of cold and snow to come.  On this beautiful spring day, the birds were out and the chipmunks emerged!  How exciting!

I love the morning after a snow because you can see who was out the night before.  On this morning, I had seen bobcat, coyote, rabbit and mouse tracks.  When I came upon this masterpiece, though, I stopped in my tracks.  Here is what a vole did overnight.  What a journey!

With winter in full swing, it has been quiet in the Park and we've been missing all the wildlife.  We got lucky, today, though, and this coyote got very lucky.  In 3.5 minutes it caught 3 voles!  What a feat.  It was very far away and the light was tough, but it was so much fun to watch it hunt.  That should make the chilly night more bearable!

It was snowy and windy today so Andy and I decided to head up to Sprague Lake for a quick run/walk.  On the way back we saw a car stopped in the middle of the road and wondered what was going on.  Then we saw it.  A coyote, raven and magpie all negotiating for a piece of elk.  It had been months since we'd seen a coyote, and we were so excited to see this healthy one enjoying the last bits of a hearty meal.

November is when most animals have left the Estes valley.  Too cold and too windy.  There are a few animals who stay through the winter, though, and they have various strategies for surviving the season.  The Red-breasted Nuthatch stashes pine seeds so that it can eat through the winter.  The black bear takes a long nap (not quite true hibernation) and this one was out early on a snow-covered morning to see if it was really nap time.  The bobcat eats lots of rabbits and scavenges carion.  Here is a kitten  who is waiting for his/her mom. Finally the Black-billed Magpie scavenges for anything and everything and looks beautiful doing it.

Sometime on Friday evening/Saturday morning, a mountain lion took down a young buck. Andy spotted it in our neighborhood by the flock of ravens that were making a meal out of it.  We knew that it was a mountain lion kill because we could see a long drag mark as it moved its meal to the privacy of a nearby tree.   We also saw a VERY big cat print in the sand of the road.  So, with the cover dusk, Andy put up a trail camera near the carcass and we didn't sleep all night.  Mountain lion it was!  Here are some pictures that we got.  Note that the times are all an hour and 15 minutes later than actual.  There was also a branch that reflected back the (infrared) flash of the camera so I've edited it out.  You can see that there was barely enough left for a black-billed magpie the next day.  

November is peak mule deer rut season and there is only one thing on their minds.  Unfortunately, it is also hunting time and one buck was not so lucky.  He was shot in the neighborhood but ended up dying in our neighbor's yard.  A bobcat made a good meal of him one day and we put up the trail camera the next.  Only one skittish coyote visited that night. Then we couldn't put up the camera the following night because the bobcat was on it again.  The third night we were able to photograph a coyote and a bobcat on the carcass.  We've made a short video.  It is best played at double speed.  You can see why the coyote was so nervous.  Can you see the bobcat's eyes come into view?