Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 29 October 2023

Wow!! Thats pretty surprising. Thanks for starting us off again, Diane!

Here's info and a photo of a bobcat on Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/.../Bobcat

Hi, LINDY! I hope you have the best cruise ever!

Thank YOU Diane. We have bobcats in our area. Some years back I watched a mother and her cubs playing in the brush near Lake Los Carneros - just a mile or so from our house. Also came up behind one on a road in the hills behind us some years back. They are sturdy, powerfully built, pretty animals.

And for those of you with absolutely nothing else to do; here's an amazingly thorough photo record of everything that could possible survive at Lake Los Carneros and the environs. Now I know hat all those poeple with fancy cameras are doing every time I visit. www.inaturalist.org/.../5338-Lake-Los-Carneros-Natural-and-Historical-Preserve-Check-List

ANNETTE: That list is fascinating! I looked through it. I was surprised at how many species we have in common, given the difference in terrain and ecology. Lucky you to see the bobcats!!! Are yours getting larger? People here agree that the average bobcat here is MUCH larger than the average bobcat 20 years ago. Most folks believe that the increase in size is because they are now primarily hunting and eating deer, rather than rodents, rabbits, squirrels, etc. I saw a photo of one awhile back that looked to be 4-5 feet long. That's a big kitty. Hope you're well, A.

Hey Diane: Just looked at the Santa Monica Mountains (nps) website and the Ojai Valley site and neither note an increase in size, although the latter gives a maximum weight for males at 40lb and 34lb for females and a length of about 4'1" from nose to end of tail with an average of 2'8" for an adult (no sex difference noted). All okay here; busy as usual.

Magnificent full moon tonight. No need for lights; the moon is casting shadows in the garden.

Thanks for starting a new week Diane. I looked for the moon but, sadly, it was cloudy here. Nice and bright and sunny now! Typical!
I had fun looking at bobcats etc.
I was up early after the clocks went back and have already had a productive hour in the garden chopping things down!!! The garden waste bin is full!!! I need to tie up my winter jasmine next. It is starting to flower.
Yesterday when I went into the spare bedroom to clean the window, I discovered that my Christmas cactus has buds on it. It always flowers a month early!! I fed it and will bring it downstairs in a week or so. I do nothing to it all year otherwise. It just lives on a cupboard in that room. Very occasionally I tip some water on it.

Thank you Diane, hope you get to see that bobcat. We had 2 red squirrels in our garden yesterday, that is the first time in a while.

Didn't see the full moon during the night - too much rain and cloud. But owing to the extra hour we had in bed this morning, it was shining brightly into my bedroom at 6.30am (new time) and was beautiful. It's been raining on and off ever since. I had a very wet journey of around 15 miles this morning - very deep puddles right across the road in several places. I gather some roads locally are closed because of floods. I chose to come home by a different route, emulating the Three Wise Men! I hear we are in for a lot more rain in the next few days. Maybe it's time to hibernate ...