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 p.1 #1 · Cat's (Bobcat) outta da bag! (Coot, too!) | |
Since Thang posted a couple of shots from Sunday evening's encounter with the Bobcat and his prey, the "cat's out of the bag" on that encounter. So, here's my offering from the same outing. I was wrapping up a slow Osprey day at El Dorado, but was able to join Thang on his Bobcat safari at SJWS on the way home. Thanks, Thang! I owe you big time!
Get ready for another long story, boys and girls.
This Bobcat captured a Coot, only to have it escape three times. At certain points during this encounter, it got really comical as I watched the Coot at ground level run towards me with its wings flapping and pass by me just a foot and a half away. And a few seconds later, have the Bobcat do the same.
#1 Bobcat emerging out of the brush with his prey. The lighting was harsh where the openings in the brush cast streaks of strong light.
#2 The Coot is still alive and struggling to get away.
#3 Making the necessary grip adjustment.
#4 They're not seeing "eye to eye" on what to have for dinnere.
#5 Can I talk you into some burger and fries?
The Coot escapes and they blow by me on a narrow trail just a foot and a half away. Working with slow shutter speed due to low light, I didn't have keepers of this due to motion blur.
#6 Second escape attempt. Uncropped.
#7 The action was fast and furious. Working with a 300 mm fixed lens proved too much at this distance. Couldn't keep them both in the frame.  Things happening too fast to try and back up during this sequence.
#8 Droplets of water is still flying off the Coot. Out of the shade and into some light!
#9 Gotcha! I think?
#10 "The force is strong in this one" Translation: This old coot has a strong will to survive.
#11 "Then, he zigged but I zagged" .................... But still got caught.
#12 Escape attempt #3
#13 The stand-off. Who'll blink first? (I had a shot after this where he's licking his chops with the tounge out, but a stalk of grass is going across his right eye. )
I guess the Coot blinked first because there was a quick chase and a cloud of dust when he got snagged. Couldn't freeze the action due to the slow shutter speed so ended up recording motion blurs.
#14 Making sure that the Coot is dead this time. Notice the limp neck.
#15 "I hope you got your shots because I'm NOT doing this again!"
I don't think I'll ever get an opportunity like this again. And that kills me because this encounter exposed the shortcommings of both my equipment and skill.
Shooting with my D2X, I stayed with an ISO of 400. (Kept my aperature at 4-4.5 for most of the series for a respectable DOF. Shutter speeds went from around 1/160 in the sunny part of the trail to 1/80 or so in the shaded parts. Thank goodness for VR). I've been wanting a D3 for the high ISO for just this type of situation.
Skill-wise, it was tight with a fixed focal lens and fast action, but I didn't mange to keep both the Coot and Bobcat in the frame. Reflex not fast enough. Old age or just lack of skill?
I guess I'll just have to kick myself over and over for a long time to come.
Well, once again thanks for staying with me on a long story.
- Ken
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