True Nature Stories: Tennessee Valley

Tennessee Valley Bobcat (Lynx nonchalantii)

A little bit of color was showing in the morning sky when I pulled into the parking lot, and it got better and better as I hiked down toward the Haypress Camp Trail. By a little past 7 a.m., the sky had morphed into such a satisfying blaze of crimson that I figured my day was made, even if I didn't see any bobcats.

I hiked all the way out to Haypress Camp, then all the way down to the beach at Tennessee Cove, and had almost reached the home stretch back to my car when a bobcat ambled out of the brush along the north side of the trail, just as casual as can be. I very gently put my eyeglasses away, removed the camera's lens cap and got the lens on her, moving ever so slowly and smoothly, only to soon realize that this cat was an old-timer who was not about to spook so easily.

Believe it or not, I actually got the idea to go to Tennessee Valley just yesterday, feeling like it was a good time of year to see a bobcat. I had just about figured the feeling was a false-alarm when the cat showed up and made my day. She hunted a little bit, but mostly just groomed and snoozed. I hung out with her for maybe an hour-and-a-half before she ducked under a coyote bush and snuggled down in some leaves and shade, apparently for good. My smartwatch, being well out of cellphone range, went dumb as nails and refused to tell time. However, the camera's first snaps were made at 9:58 a.m., and the last was made at 11:26 (although I continued to trail the bobcat for a few minutes after shooting the last frame).

Despite being out of cellphone range, my phone sprang to life as I was walking back to my car, as one of those emergency alerts started buzzing about a possible tsunami rolling out of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake off the Humboldt County coast.

Red Sky in the Morning

It was a great surprise to get such a blazing sunrise today.

One of the biggest bobcat latrines I've ever seen can be found out by Haypress Camp, just where the road bends sharply near the end. There's a culvert under the road there, and the area has been decorated with numerous scats. The one above, complete with scrape, was the most fresh-looking.

With several brush rabbits nibbling in the chilly morning air, I figured there would be bobcats around, but I hung out for a while in vain. I approached this rabbit three steps at a time and was able to get surprisingly close before it bolted for cover.

I pursued a great horned owl in that eucalyptus grove in the background, but it kept flying away from me. Farther down the road I looked back and was surprised to see a rainbow. I hadn't known it was supposed to rain. Thankfully only a few drops fell.

I love Tennessee Valley's understated beauty.

It can get very crowded out there on a weekend, but this morning's visitor traffic was very light.

You gotta love a wrentit.

They're feisty, vocal, daring, and cute.

It was nice to see California quail feeding near the old horse stable and barn. About a dozen years ago I was photographing quail in the same area when a park ranger, thinking I was shooting commercially since I was using a tripod and DSLR, asked me if I had a photography permit. It was great to walk around today without having to carry all that gear.

Checking out the old horse barn I was surprised to see this tule boat.

Willow View

Tennessee Valley's Main Trail

Hermit Thrush

White-crowned Sparrow

The shorebreak at Tennessee Cove was kind of monstrous, as usual. The waves aren't very tall, but they are massive.

It's fun to watch the water recede after a wave washes up, but it's the susurration of all the countless little pebbles that sticks in your mind.

Colors of the Marsh

I'd hoped to see a bobcat up on this lichen-covered promontory. It would have been just a bit bigger than this red-tailed hawk.

Gratitude and joy greeted me farther up the trail, when a bobcat casually strolled out of the brush and headed to this rock, where it stopped for a long session of grooming. Love those huge hind feet.

This is where I was standing the whole time.

Claws extended for a little neck-scratching.

The cat, with its bobtail vibrating in anticipation of a pounce, slowly and carefully set down each of its paws as it slowly stalked closer to its prey...

...which got away without a pounce.

Whatever had caught the cat's attention must have been pretty worthwhile.

The bobcat stayed put for quite a long time.

At one point, three white-crowned sparrows in a nearby coyote bush all appeared to be watching the cat.

But the cat wasn't doing anything too exciting.

Meanwhile, high up on the hillside....

The cat finally got up, and unfortunately I failed to anticipate that it would stretch itself out. I caught this shot as it was coming out of the deepest part of its stretch.

Listening for the rustling of grass....

The cat surprised me again by jumping up on the fence and sharpening its claws on the wood, all of which occurred before I could get a good viewing angle.