Otter and Bobcat Encounter!

By guest blogger Dave Weichers
September 18, 2012

The four otters were in the water on Sunday when I arrived at he West end of Rodeo Lagoon. The bobcat frequently hides in the reeds and runs out on the beach to catch a gull at the West end of the lagoon, but was actually standing in a small clearing between the reeds North of the beach area. The bobcat was watching the otters swimming and eating those large headed, slow-swimming fish.

Suddenly one of the otters appeared to notice the bobcat and become quite interested. H/She climbed out of the water onto a small sandy area directly below the bobcat, who was about 6 feet from the edge of the water. They stood there looking at each other briefly and both started moving around and watching how the other responded. The otter jumped around sideways as did the bobcat, still watching each other, and they both seemed to retreat at the same time. The otter quickly returned to the water and the bobcat backed off to its left and with a somewhat surprised look, watched the otter return to the water and then ducked into the reeds.

I next saw the bobcat on the South side of the lagoon about 20 minutes, make an attempt at either a gull or a Snow egret right below where the trail starts up the hill. The bobcat was unsuccessful and got all wet. We saw it go back into the reeds and it was not seen again.

The otters appeared to clear out of the lagoon as they were not seen again that morning. I looked for them around the bridge at the East end of the lagoon in the the lake further East but did not see them.