Bobcat hunting Limpkin, Loxahatchee NWR - 22nd July

An amazing morning's birding at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge near Boca Raton, with the cherry on the cake being an extraordinary encounter between a Bobcat and a Limpkin.

The first sight of the Bobcat was on the raised road/ levee between the main part of the swamp and the managed pools. It was just strolling along in the morning light, having a poo, and just doing it's thing. It didn't like the look of me (100 yards away) so ducked down off the raised road into the long grass. I searched for a while, but gave up and carried on.

20 minutes or so later I was walking back down the road, when the Bobcat stepped out in front of me again, this time about 80 yards ahead. It was looking away from me so didn't notice me, but it did spot this Limpkin....

...immediately it froze, shrank down into itself and slinked off into the grass. The Limpkin wandered out into the middle of the road, quite oblivious of the cat. There were a couple of nearby Red-winged Blackbirds that started calling so I knew the hunt was on, so I waited. And waited. About 10 minutes passed with not much going on, and I was about to give up.....

...then Bang! Contact! The cat moved so fast I hardly saw it and only really captured the action when they were halfway down the opposite bank....

...The Limpkin was alive all the way down, but had no chance....

....the Bobcat headed straight into the reedbed....

...Limpkin screeching the whole way. I briefly approached the area they had disappeared, but there was nothing to see, lots to hear though, with squawks and snarls from both parties.