Daily Photo: Window Hunting

July 5, 2019 Bernadette

Mariposa has something trapped in her gaze.

Mariposa often naps at the open window behind my monitor when I’m in my office. There’s a purrfect view of lots of exciting wildlife just ready for window hunting! There’s the birdbath and the catbird who talks to her, they hummingbirds who visit the feeder on the edge of the porch, lots of little critters who race across the porch, and…a baby groundhog.

So Mariposa is reclining on the edge of my desk, the windowsill, and the track where the window slides. Then she stiffens, listening, and very…very…very slowly turns around, flattens her ears and looks over the edge of the window frame, then slowly rises up onto her front paws and watches, rapt at something moving in the ground cover just off the porch.

And then, the little critter has the courage, with such a brave and capable hunter having it pinned in here eyebeams, starts to walk across the porch…but then stops, apparently sensing those eyebeams. There was an extended standoff, and then the little one made a break for it.

The baby groundhog stops under the power of Mariposa's gaze. — The baby groundhog stops under the power of Mariposa’s gaze.

Baby groundhogs are almost as cute as kittens. I just wish they wouldn’t eat all my gardens down to nothing, especially when I leave all the native plants I know they love to eat.

Photos shared in past years

The Huntress, 2016

The Huntress: Intent. Just look for the eyes.

On a quiet afternoon the garden was full of excitement.

The Huntress: Listening. You can’t see her, surely.

For several years before moving in here Mimi hunted for food for her babies. Now that she’s a pampered princess she still likes to indulge now and then, just to keep in shape.

The Huntress: Watching. Something is over there.

Nothing escapes her notice.

Capturing these photos between the blades of grass and sometimes confusing light and shadows and moving blades of grass was my own hunting expedition for the afternoon. See below if you’d like a print of one or more.

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Just Playing

But she still has a great time with toys! Someone donated a few toys her cat didn’t like, and I moved most to the kitten room but all the house panthers were immediately absorbed by this cat track with a ball swirling around the bottom that makes bird chirps when you smack it, and one in the top that just goes around, and feathers out of the top, just for good measure. Mimi is feeling pretty darned well, and just because she does (and I still find it a miracle), and because she was once a primarily outdoor cat endlessly breeding but has fully embraced being a pampered and loved house panther I filmed her having a great time playing with the birdie track ball. Watch it below or on watch it on YouTube.

Art and Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals

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Feline Photos from Portraits of Animals!

Where to find these photos

I have these photos available on Portraits of Animals as prints on paper and canvas, and framed digital prints as well. You’ll find them in my Photography gallery under Cats.

All four images are available:

Copyright

All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.