There it was, a large cat sitting calmly in the middle of the road and staring right at us. It was my first wild cat sighting in North America, and it was a lynx! A Canada Lynx! We couldn't believe our luck. Visitors had reported seeing lynx in the guest book here at Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba, Canada, but I never believed we would actually see one. We watched it for nearly an hour in the setting sun, hunting along the side of the road. I managed to get a few decent photos and video clips and was very proud to report on our American Safari page that we had seen a lynx.
But then I began to wonder. Had I actually seen a lynx? I looked at a range map and realized that the Canadian Lynx (Lynx canadensis) and the Bobcat (Lynx rufus) overlapped in this narrow band near the US/Canada border.
Is it a Bobcat or a Lynx?
I started to get a little nervous when I read that Lynx subsist almost entirely on snowshoe hare. Even though we did spot snowshoe hares in the area, the cat we observed was hunting birds! Watch our video to see birds barely escaping from the cat's first two pounces.
But then I discovered that Canadian Lynx at the southern end of their range tend to have a more varied diet than their farther-north counterparts, which includes birds. Then I noticed how short the cat's hair was. Most lynx photos show cats with luxuriously long winter coats and huge fluffy cheek tufts. But this was mid summer. So I convinced myself that it was simply wearing its summer coat.
Finally I found the definitive proof: tail color. Lynx have an entirely black tail tip, while the tip of a bobcat's tail is black on top, and white on the bottom. Whew. So it was official. I had seen a lynx!
Yep! Canada Lynx! Look at that tail: completely black tip.
But wait. What about hybrids. After a little research I soon learned that there have been several documented cases of naturally occurring bobcat/lynx hybrids, showing intermittent features of both species. (source: Natural Resources Research Institute).
So in conclusion: who knows? Based on all the traits I've researched I feel pretty certain it's a lynx. Check out the photos and decide for yourself. What do you think?
The above photo compares the wild Canada Lynx that I photographed in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, to a captive Bobcat that I photographed in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
The table below is a list of the differences between a Canada Lynx and a Bobcat based on various physical traits and behaviors. You may be surprised to note that Bobcats can actually get much larger than Canada Lynx. On our list of the biggest cats in the world, you'll see that Canada Lynx may reach up to about 26 pounds (12 kg) while the biggest bobcats may weigh up to 44 pounds! (20 kg).
Whether you've seen a lynx or a bobcat, consider yourself a very lucky person. North America's wild cats are not easy to see!
We've received many messages from people telling us they've seen a big cat in their yards but didn't have time to take a photo to identify it. Why not try putting a trail camera in your yard? We have two trail cameras in ours that we leave on day and night. We've had plenty of photos of our regular day visitors but also the nocturnal ones, like foxes, coyotes and opossums. We use Bushnell Natureview HD and we even take it on our camping trips. Maybe you'll get lucky and catch a bobcat or a lynx!
Have you ever seen a lynx or a bobcat? Let us know where in the comments below!
When I saw the video in the summer I figured it was a lynx because of the huge paws needed to maneuver in deep snow and catch snowshoe hares in the winter. I am not sure what bobcats do that live this far north in the winter. I guess they put on snowshoes.
Whoa! I grew up in that area right off Mac Trail… nowhere is lovelier than northern MI.
Yes they are! I'd love to see them in the winter, with their big winter coat on.
This is really interesting! I'm glad what you thought to be a lynx turned out to be a lynx after all 🙂 Either way they are both so majestic. I once saw a bobcat for a split second when I was a kid and I'll never forget it!
I know! I would have been disappointed if it had turned out to be a bobcat and not a lynx! There are bobcats where we live so there is always the possibility we see one any day. But there are no lynx here. So it was like a "now or never" thing!
I was in Michigan driving at night with my mom on I-75 going towards Standish when a bobcat jumped in the middle of the road, had to swerve. Live in Virginia, saw one a week ago in daylight running across 92 near chase city.
Wow, how lucky! I am glad you didn't have an accident! I still haven't seen a wild bobcat, they keep hiding from me!
My husband saw a Bobcat last weekend, on our roof here in NW Georgia. Going to guess it was a young one, hoping to get hold of the young starlings nesting in the eaves. Wish I had been up and out early enough to see it.
What a great sight! Maybe he comes back soon. Or you could get hold of a trail camera and set it outside hoping it catches the bobcat!
My Husband and I saw a Bobcat crossing in front of our car in Southwest Colorado, Pagosa Springs. We pulled to the side of the road and the Bobcat seemed to be studying us as well. We watched it for about 4 or 5 minutes. It went up a hill next to my neighbors home. What a gorgeous animal.
I still haven't seen a bobcat (except a dead one on the road). What a lucky sight!
I saw a large bobcat in a park here in Mesa Arizona. He stopped right in front of me and we did the kitty cat stare down for a minute, then he got bored I guess and walked off. It was so amazing, and he was absolutely beautiful. The funny thing was he walked along behind three men that were fishing and they never knew he was there, walking so close to them. It was such a cool experience, I will never forget!
Thanks for the story Adrien! Once you see a wild cat, the memory stays with you forever!
I thought what i saw was a lynx but after seeing the differences between the 2 i'm second guessing myself. I saw either one of these in Southwick, Mass. in early Nov.2013 it was a dark grey with black spots about the size of a half dollar. I'm guessing it weighed atleast 75lb and almost 2x the size of my (F)choc. lab .
I live in Merced, Ca and have the privilege of seeing 2 Bobcats at two different times. Once was in the North Fork, Ca area on a remote road. It crossed in front of us and when we stopped to look at it, it stopped and looked at us! Amazing. The second time was closer to Merced, Ca at Lake McClure, Ca. This time as we drove along the campground road, it ran along side of us for about 10 yrds then off into the high grass. Again, it was amazing! Both were big, beautiful cats!
wow, that is fantastic Kelly!
I have seen bobcats crossing the road in Montecito, CA near the Montecito golf course and Coast Village Road. Also, in the Arroyo in Pasadena, CA near Busch Gardens Drive.
2. I have seen a bobcat in our back yard 4 times so far in the 3 yrs we've lived here. (we live in an apt complex in a populated area but with scenic park like property -lots of land, trees, some marsh, bubbling brook, ponds, and lots of other wildlife such as tons of ducks, geese, cranes, squirrels, opossums, skunks, many birds etc. ) I was NOT expecting to see any wildlife in my yard in such a busy area much less a bobcat .. but I'm positive I did. 3 times was with binoculars for an up close look but once he was actually very close by and didn't even need binoculars!
I grew up in Northern MI and my dad has 80 acres of hunting land there too and I never saw a bobcat when I was growing up there, but my dad has when at his camp.
Is a Manx a domesticated Bobcat hybrid? What is a Lynx hybrid?
Looks like the Manx is a breed of domestic cat that originated on the Isle of Man (England) and is descended from the African Wildcat like all domestic cats. The lynx hybrids I referred to in this article are the offspring of a lynx and a bobcat mating.
Last summer I was walking my dog on the Indian Mountain trail near our home in Jefferson Colorado when we saw something walking about 50 yards ahead of us on the trail. We followed for about 10 minutes then came upon it standing just off the trail, about 15 feet from us. I stood their staring for about a minute and it didn't move. Then I decided to just continue on so I wouldn't have to make it move. I though it was a bobcat but after reading your article I realize it was actually a Lynx!
We live in Modoc County, CA (northeast corner). Today, about 8:30 a.m. I saw either a bobcat or lynx with a rabbit in it's mouth walking at the edge of our property. I grabbed the field glasses but with it's constant movement and brush in the way it was hard to tell except that it was short haired, no definite spots and a good size. In the past 17 years here, I've seen bobcats on 2 other occasions. The one I saw this a.m. was the largest that I've seen and at first I thought it might be a mountain lion which are also in this area. Time for us to get out for our morning walk – GULP! hope this creature is friendly!
My next door neighbor just called to let me know that there is a bobcat in their front yard. I advised them to report it to fish and game. Location is Wolfeboro, NH. Time is 2:30PM, 25 June 2014.
Saw a lynx in my backyard over the Christmas period a couple of years ago, I live in North Vancouver.
First and only one I've seen in this area. There was snow on the ground that year – so not sure that had some relevance. We don't always get snow in North Van.
My backyard backs onto Hastings Creek which runs up into a protected watershed about 3 km to the north.
So I'm assuming the lynx just wondered down the creek onto the hiking trail that runs along it.
We see a lot of black bears, the occasional coyote.
I've seen bobcats several times in the last few year in Clearlake California. Yesterday I saw a river otter.I'm lucky to live in an area with lots of wildlife. Even spotted a bald eagle last week.
It is fantastic to live so close to wildlife.
Saw a 'Canadian lynx' , Sudbury , ON Canada. Cat was seen during the day had a short tail. I've seen quite a few bears, deer and moose but never a big cat!
We saw a bobcat this morning on our front deck. Our kitty was laying in a chair out front and my husband heard a strange and very loud yowl so looked out and it was standing with its front paws on the edge of the deck. We have seen bobcats several times out here in Eastern Montana as we have forested areas and buttes surrounding us. This was the largest one we have ever seen. He was golden in color and about the size of our border collie. Maybe it was a lynx. He ran off in the forest next to our house and stopped a couple of times to turn around and look at us. Gorgeous! I fear for my 2 kitties that go outside.
A bobcat has been hanging around fairly close to a riparian area along Highway 89 in Prescott, Arizona for the past several days. Today it caught and killed a rabbit in my next-door-neighbor's back yard. After eating the rabbit, it nestled down for several hours of nap under one of the fountain grass bushes in the neighbor's yard. We have seen javelinas, rabbits, and mule deer, but we never expected to see a bobcat so close to houses.
I live in a river valley about 33km south of Lac La Biche, Alberta. Today I went to look out my living room window as my dog had been lightly growling there. Down below the house was this either a lynx or a bobcat sitting there staring at the window. While wonderful to see, I thought this animal would be a threat to my dog so I decided to try and scare it away by going out on the deck, banging the door, shouting and waving my arms in the air. This usually works for coyotes and bears. If it doesn't I fire a bullet near the predators just to scare them on their way.This cat just sat and starred at me, seemingly curious at my antics. So I went and got my 22 rifle. He saw me with this weapon and ran off. I fired a shot into the bushes just to hope the loud sound would keep it away. Many years ago a lynx or bobcat got 8 of my bantie chickens. It ate one right near the house, leaving just feathers. The other birds he carried away for future meals. While I have to protect my dog, I found it so very interesting to see this lovely creature.
Wow – that's a great article. Now I will be prepared when I see either of them…I hope I see them!
Thanks Jill. I hope you get an awesome photo when you do see one! Keep up the great work at Ghost Bear!
We have seen bobcats up at the farm, which is 7 miles north of our home several times over the years in LeRoy, MI, most often during the November deer hunting season. The last one there was sitting on the rock pile in the duck pond field and we watched it all morning until we came up to the house for lunch. Tonight on the way home from Big Rapids, just over the hill from our home, there was either a bobcat or lynx sitting along the side of the road. It is just before dark but light enough to have pretty good viewing of it. At first we thought it to be a bobcat, but it was taller and more lanky in body shape. It had an extremely short tail, black on the tip, and very rangy in type, with long legs. It ran across the road in front of our car, and was more gray than brownish in color. Normally our bobcats are rich golden brown, with lavish spots throughout their body. This one's spots were not visible. It was rather tall, about the height of our Aussie but much more angular in type. I haven't seen a lynx since I was a kid in Clare County, but this one had very similar characteristics.
Spotted bobcat twice in 4 days tracking rabbits in my back yard. Just south of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. He never lost focus on his prey and didn't linger.
I just off my cadet at USAFA at 10:30 this evening. I couldn't believe it; I saw a bobcat at the edge of the road. I stopped and got a good 10-15 second look. Totally awesome!! I've spent a lot of time backpacking throughout the years. I never thought I would see a wild cat along the road!!
What an incredible moment, right Sandy?
I've been told that bobcat sometimes mate with regular cats too, had one that might have been the grandson of one. Both his parents looked eerie similar to a wild bobcat (they were supposedly the offspring of a male bobcat and a female domesticated cat), short tail, spots and very large….
Driving home to Edmonton Alberta today & spotted the most beautiful cat just a few kilometres east of Maidstone. Pretty sure it was a bobcat & not a lynx because of its orange & white spotted color. What a precious gift…was just in awe. It was not very far from the highway & just standing there regally staring at me. Wow!!!! A sight I shall never forget!
Early this past spring I was driving up a resort road in Northport, Maine and saw a Lynx cross the road in front of me. Gorgeous! I parked at the top and walked down to look for prints and found 1 large, water filled depression. The cat had been traveling down a rocky slope, crossed the road and a small clearing to mixed forest and avoided the snow, so no clear prints. My immediate thought was Lynx but I had my doubts as bobcats are more common and have gone through much the same thought process as you. Thank you for this help in confirming my sighting.
So cool! That's the same spot where we saw the lynx last year! Perhaps it is the same one?
I was extremely fortunate to have a young lynx in my driveway for over two hours the other day. This enabled me to get some awesome photos of it. I confirmed with the MNR that it was indeed a Lynx. Feeling very privileged!!
the first time and today, took 3 good ones. We ran on our patio and called him gently, so he went walking onto the paved road and curled up right in front of our eyes on the road. Where can I send you the pictures.
Pretty sure we saw a Lynx just north of Quesnel, BC, yesterday. It was sitting just out of the forest, so we couldn't see tail or longer hind legs, but it was silvery in colour. It is also a snowshoe hare year here, and so far we have very little snow, so hunting should be good. Exciting to see!
I live in Torrington CT and today 12/18/2014 we had a Bob Cat just laying in our front yard. My husband just called to say he thinks it was a lynx but after reading the difference I'm sticking with Bob Cat due to the shorter legs. It just laid there looking at us as we looked at it trying to get a picture without scaring it off. the only photos I was able to get were through a screen and glass window. What an amazing sighting!
We live 10 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, yet on the edge of City Creek Canyon and the Bonneville trail. I was 100 yards from home on a beautiful sunny day when a bobcat jumped out of the junipers lining a neighbor's driveway. He looked at me, then continued across the street into another yard that led into the Canyon. So exciting! I have seen this guy/girl before in the 10 years we lived here, but talked myself into believing she was a domestic cat. This time I knew she was a bobcat– what a thrill!
I live in the mountains/foothills west of Denver. This morning I saw a Bobcat walking across our deck. S/he must have heard or saw either me or one of my cats because she stopped to look around a couple of times. I was able to watch her for a minute or two before it occurred to me to grab my phone in the next room. When I got back a couple of seconds later s/he was gone – no prints in the snow, no sound, no trace. I thought Lynx at first, but after some online research, more likely the Bobcat. S/he looked about twice the size of a house cat, but much thicker than the Lynx pics. Beautiful animal! -I feel so privileged to have seen it!
We've got a picture of a bobcat (I'm fairly sure it's not a lynx), on the trail cam dated Jan 7, 2015 at 2 am in Silver Bay, MN. We've had the cam for 2 years and have never seen one! I've seen three wolves in the last 10 years, usually driving along the highway.
This evening, my husband and I saw a Lynx in our front yard – in Tucson, AZ! I realize that they are totally non-native here. I suspect it might be on the lam from either the Sonora Desert Museum or the International Wildlife Museum (or maybe a private "pet" escapee) and have left messages with those places to see if they have an AWOL animal (we are not that far from those places, though I don't even think they have live animals at the IWM and may not have a Lynx exhibit at SDM. anyway. FWIW, there is no doubt of what we saw – it was cool as a cucumber, strolling past my front window, stopping leisurely to mark the stone wall just in front of my sewing window. It had massive white muttonchops, or whatever those are called, and long black tips on its ears. It had long legs and was a massively muscular thing. When it first caught the corner of my eye, I thought it was one of the ultra-common, well-fed coyotes we have virtually every day, and when I gave it my full attention, it just took my breath away to see something so alien, so close.
of paw print in snow after it was gone was 4″ in diameter.
Our neighbor's small Bichon Frise was attacked by a bobcat last night. We live in Belton TX!
A pair of large cats ran across the road in front of our truck this evening in northern lower Michigan. Thanks to your description, we're sure they were bobcats. Amazing!
We had a Bobcat come to our feed and hang out under it for a long time–enough for me to get some wonderful photos. Years earlier we watched one walk down our road. We are in the Western Mountains of Maine–Rangeley Maine. There has also been a sighting of a Mountain Lion on our road.
Checking my trail camera this morning, what a surprise! A "large cat" photo, among the deer photos! After finding this site , I have determined my photo is a Bobcat. Will have to put the camera out again when temperatures warm up. Always a surprise when viewing the wildlife that pass near the camera! I am located in central Minnesota.
wow, that is wonderful! Let us know if you see the bobcat again!
This evening my daughter and I had a what i think to be a bobcat cross the road while we were driving. We're in Hope Ranch which is the northern bit of Santa Barbara, CA. Definitely larger than any housecat, spotted, and with a stumpy tail. What a blessing!
How wonderful Lyn! Hope you see him again!
When I walked outside yesterday to put feed on our patio for my deer, I startled a big cat about 20 ft away. I thought it was a Bobcat, as I watched it run away. Then I heard screaming behind my house at 3 am. So I googled Bobcat sounds this morning and was confused when I saw the picture of the spotted Bobcat. The cat I saw was not spotted, looked bigger than the pictured Bobcats, and did not have a tail that long. Then I saw the picture of the Canadian Lynx and it was exactly what I saw. The size, shorter tail, the face, and grayish fur. I live on a lake in the woods outside of Hayward, Wisconsin. What a privilege to see that Lynx! I feed many different kinds of animals out here, so won't be surprised if he shows up again. There were three Turtle Doves feeding on the ground not far from the Lynx, so I think I interrupted his hunt.
We have bob cats living in our valley in west central Wisconsin. I have seen three different bob cats. One was 10 feet from the back of my house, walking slowly across the edge of the yard at 5:00 p.m. Beautiful animal. So excited to see it close up. The next time I saw it, was mid day, while my husband was cutting wood near the woods. I was the bob cat walking along the woods above him.
My husband and I were coming down a trail on our sleds last winter, when all of a sudden he stopped. I stopped right behind him and lo and behold here was this lynx. He was walking along a ditch by the trail we were on. He looked back at us, but was in no hurry, so we got a good look at him. He casually walked along then went into the bush. That was very cool, cuz that was the longest glimpse of a lynx Ive ever had.
Oops forgot to say where we saw it. It was up in the Telkwa range in northern BC.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015; 3:30p.m.,a very large bobcat crossed Rt 12 in Walpole, NH directly in front of my car. It had come up from a field next to the Conn. River, headed toward the village. It could very well have been a Lynx. Awesome!
Wow! That's awesome! What a weird lynx encounter! What is that cat thinking? Super cool. Do you live there? Would love to hear if it shows up again.
I bought a bobcat puppet on vacation. I asked the clerk if it's a lynx and she said no. So I figured to search and find out the difference!
I live in Canada. But I bought the toy in Nevada. So I see, it's a different area.
My brother-in-law and I riding the other day to town. Up the road a little in front of a us what I thought was a lynx (based on size only) jumped up on the snow bank crossing the road in front of us. This was in northern Maine. The last bobcat I saw was in the 1950's. The bob tail was obvious and the size was big for a cat.
We live rurally in Tappen B.C. outside of Salmon Arm, North Okanagan Shuswap. I was driving to town and just as I rounded the corner at our neighbours 30 acre field I saw a large cat…by description Lynx, as it was loping, tail up easily the size of some of the coyotes around. Longer back legs evident. An amazing sight on a sunny midmorning jaunt, right out in the field heading for a stand of trees some 5 acres away.
A year ago winter 2013/2014 we had a bobcat sneaking chickens from the hen house.
My granddaughter and I just saw a bobcat up in the mountains when we were coming home from our cabin. At first we didn't know if it was a bobcat or a lynx. After viewing your website we were able to determine that it was a bobcat. But it did not have distinct spots–it was overall dark reddish brown with a longer black tail. It crossed that road in front of us.
That's awesome! We got a pic of a coyote standing on our birdbath!
We had a spectacular sighting of a Lynx today in northern Saskatchewan. The mother had just crossed the road ahead of us so we stopped to see if we could get a picture. Well the mother Lynx paced back and forth along the tree line giving us some terrific photos because on the other side of the road was her little one which we saw a few times but couldn't get a photo. It was fascinating to listen to the mother calling out to her little one.
Oh wow, what an amazing encounter!!!
Back in '93 by sheer luck ( and accident), I came within 20 feet of Bobcat while leaving work. It was around 10 pm and he was looking in the opposite direction, and obviously taken by surprise. It was when I saw the tuffs of cheek hair; I realised what he was and quickly got into the car. That was tge first and only time I've seen one loose here in Colorado Springs.
My neighbor saw what she said was a bobcat in a campground here in Petawawa Ontario, it was a few feet away from her, she was about 12 feet away from her car. She slowly eased her way to the car and laid on the horn to scare it away. She didn't think of the alarm on her car key chain, or she could have used that to scare it away. Another friend of mine in Renfrew Ontario has a lynx as a pet, but I doubt it would hurt anyone. To test it she put a live chicken in with it to see what would happen, she went back an hour later to find the chicken fast asleep in the lynx's house lol.
Awesome! Hope they see it again. If they do, let us know what it was!
I saw a bobcat in the side yard of mine cousin in New Mexico.
Saw a bobcat yesterday ( I don't think it was a lynx) at Apex park. It passed about 10 yards in front of me on the trail.
I saw a very large Lynx on the highway from Fort Frances Ontario to Dryden Ontario on Thursday evening. It was walking till I came around corner and it ran into bush. It was by far the largest Lynx Out of tne several I have seen.
Had a beautiful coat and large paws!
November 4, 2015 in Belchertown, MA a very large bobcat walked through the yard of my mobile home at 8:20 in the morning in broad daylight. A landscaper saw it cross the road in front of my house and came down the road fast to try to get a picture. No luck. It wasn't ten feet from my windows and it loped in no particular hurry through my bird feeders , past the deck and into the woods behind my house. This is the second time seeing a bobcat the same way. Last years animal was smaller. We thought lynx so I looked it up. The distinctive spots and long tail gave it away. What a thrill to see such a large healthy animal that is so elusive.
Saw a baby bobcat jumping up & attempting to capture a butterfly several years ago down in the canyon near where I live in Orange County California…was awesome! Cutest little guy! I guess he/she was working it's way up to birds!
Thanks for the informative article and guide! I work in Northern Alberta and BC in the oilfield so I'm out in the boonies quite a bit. This morning on my way home from a very remote location north east of Fort Saint John, I saw a large cat cross the road ahead of me. I stopped my truck, rolled the window down and the curious bugger sauntered right up nearly within arms reach, sat down, and had a good long staring match with me! Figured it was a lynx but wanted to make sure, as this fella was a tad bit browner than the ones I've seen south of Grande Prairie.
About a year ago just after sunset. I saw either a bobcat or lynx crossing a cul de sac road in the middle of the Albany Pinebush in Guilderland NY. It seemed about 30″ -36″ long, leanish, taller in the rear than front and had a squarish head and distinct pointy ears and a bob tail. The Pinebush Preserve is about 4-5 sq. miles, but connected to much larger wild areas north, west and south of Guilderland.
My initial thought was lynx. But it is a tad south of the lynx range.
We have had several families of bobcat visiting our backyard for some years now. We have taken pictures of a mom bringing her 2 kittens along the wall in our back yard, of individual bobcats resting in the roasting heat on our concrete back porch. We have a video of a young bobcat playing with and then killing a rabbit. We live near a golf course at the edge of a city in southern New Mexico and feel blessed with our local wild life.
i don,t know what is going on but I live in the east central part of Ohio very few people for miles.there are several diffrent large cats that I see around here.the list I have seen this year ,bobcat ,linx ,blackpanther, mountanlion. one wolf and a neighbor shot and killed a wolf cayote cross.there have even been several bears sighted.
Quite a few years back, I had seen a bobcat/lynx running across the road and then dart behind my car. I was so startled and slowed down because it was so big, lots of tufted fur on its face and feet. Bobcat are known around the San Bernardino mountains of southern California, so I went to our local zoo in Big Bear Lake to see them. What I saw was not like the bobcats in the zoo, the wild cat I saw was not as spotted, bigger and more light in color. After that, I went online and saw pictures of lynx, this is more like what I saw that winter day. I will never forget the image of it running, thinking at first it was a dog until I saw its distinctive face and ears, sure wish I could've filmed this encounter, it was amazing. Seen a lot of wildlife in Big Bear where I live, many encounters, such as bears, coyotes, raccoon, deer, eagles and many more. But the one wild cat stands out the most in my mind, strange.
We live in Brazoria County TEXAS the cat I saw yesterday was not a typical bobcat. I've seen Bobcats and a cougar/mountain lion (whichever you prefer to call it) in our area before. This one was much bigger than a bobcat. It was tawny in color around 50lbs. It had a stumpy tail unlike a cougar and its coat was longer. It was in our back pasture (wooded) and it was late morning. It was eating a squirrel which it left half. My husband & I both saw and watched this cat for several minutes as it moved on away from us. Later in the day we came back to see if the squirrel remains were still there. The remains were gone. Haven't seen the cat again but we will keep watching hopefully catch it in pictures.
Today is October 17,2016. I just saw a bobcat,young one I think,walk across our lakefront lawn. We live on the shore of Skaha Lake, Okanagan Valley,British Columbia. This is a first for us. We also had an ermine (weasel) last winter,also a first. We have lived here many many years and watch for changes in our area.
I caught a lynx in my game cam Nov 3, 2016 at around 8:50 pm. Not the best image but definitely a lynx. It was in an area that we'd seen a lot of hare. A very pleasant surprise.
I should add that it was in the Green Lake area an hour north of Clinton, BC.
Lynx a few times in Likely, BC. One crossed the road in front of my truck, one at the edge of the road and one out the back window of the kitchen at a mining exploration camp. All during winter months at different years. Awesome to see every time.
Looked out our back kitchen window to see (what we think was) a bobcat on our Calgary, AB deck in the backyard. Very glad our small dog was not out surveying the property at the time. Neighbours have pics of it sharpening it's claws on their tree same day. Reports of it being on our street for a few days. Lots of rabbits in the area. Maybe less now.
I live in the Kawartha's, Trent Lakes region. Last year I spotted on two separate occasions, what I thought to be a bobcat. Both times were within an hour after sunrise. The two bobcats were not the same colouring. Both had noticeable striping but one was a lot lighter than the other. This year in February, my neighbour saw what she believed to be a lynx. Is it possible to have lynx and bobcats living so closely??
I was fortunate enough to observe a lynx crossing Rt 161 in northern Maine, just north of the garden center Down To Earth. September 2013, about 3pm. My brain parsed it as a boxer at first, until I drew closer and saw the very long legs, the eartips that arched back, and the more even coloration of the fur. I did get to see a moose, but there are far fewer lynx up here than there are moose!
On a sunny afternoon a couple of weeks ago (late May) near Smithers, BC I saw and video recorded what was most likely a Canada lynx. Smart phone in hand, I was standing next to my vehicle at a pickup point for the "Fuzzy Monkey" mountain biking trail on Hudson's Bay Mountain, planning to catch some video of my son and grandchildren as they emerged from the bush at the end of the trail. Suddenly a large, grayish, long-legged cat loped down the path, then stopped and sat down, facing me—as if it was undecided what to do next. It had probably been chased down the trail by the activity of the oncoming group. I started recording as it sat there quietly for almost a full minute; then I caught the sound of the children's voices. A split second before they burst into view, it bolted across the path and with a couple of powerful uphill leaps disappeared into the bush. Not the most impressive footage from across the small parking area, but enough to determine to our satisfaction anyway that it was a Canada lynx in summer coat–mostly dusty gray in colour, slim and long-legged with hips noticeably higher than shoulders (back legs were longer) and a short stubby tail. It was partly in shadow so I didn't get a clear view of its ear tufts or definitive black tail tip. but still a rare and unforgettable encounter!
We saw a bobcat with a longer tail in Calgary on June 18, 2017! It was in our front yard under a cedar.
Thanks so much for helping me identify the wild cat "Lynx" hanging out in my yard today. He appeared to be checking out my chickens. I live in north Bellingham Washington on some wooded acreage, approx. 15 miles from U.S. / Canada border.
Foothills of Santa Barbara, CA. We've seen a bobcat several times on our trail cam this summer, as recently as last week. I saw him last year as well walking through our property during the day. We're in his/her territory. I have a screen shot but couldn't figure out how to paste it here. Any ideas?
i saw a canada lynx in the adirondacks in 2012. It was very distinct looking and remember it clearly. I only saw it for a few seconds but will never forget it. It was early in the morning on a hike up the van hovenberg trail not far from marcy dam, between marcy dam and wright mountain. Not a very remote area in the high peaks. I thought it was a bobcat but i couldnt explain some of the other features that clearly make it a lynx. Anyway wanted to share, there are definitely lynx in the adirondacks. I hiked over 250 mountains in the Northeast and have never come across one of these again. Many deer, turkeys, cayote and the occasional bear but never one of these things.
I saw what I think was a large bobcat yesterday. I was driving south into the center of Whately, Massachusetts. If you want to google it, there is a place where North Street becomes Chestnut Plain Road where it meets Depot Road – a curving intersection which is wide and open, where the land has long been cleared of forest to make room for municipal buildings, an old graveyard, etc. I was forced to brake and then got a relatively long look as the animal ran east-west across the widest part of this open area, but it was moving very fast. At first I thought it was a large, blue-gray pit bull, but then I realized it was too thick-legged, furry and probably too fast. I could easily see that there were dark, pronounced tufts at the ear tips, and that the short tail, black at the end, flashed white underneath almost like a deer's.
I did not see anything to indicate that the animal was either chasing something, or being chased. It disappeared into a wooded area (just south of the beautiful Quonquont Farm, for those of you local) where the land begins to change from Pioneer Valley into the heavily forested hill-town region.
Having read this site, the elements leading me to think this might have been a bobcat are…the tufted ears, the coloring of the tail, and the fact that these are known to live here. However, it was much bigger than twice the size of a domestic cat — I would have said three-to-four times bigger. I also did not notice any spots, although that could be the result of blurring due to the speed. The coloring and size seemed more like a lynx, or Canadian lynx, but those cats have significantly longer rear legs vs. the fronts, and I would not have said that was true in this case.
Those are my observations! I'm not sure what I saw, but it was exciting and wonderful.
Just had a bobcat i think st our slider our little dog alerted us. I didnt get a pic. But it was an odd color almost ash gray to blackish. We just had snow so i took paw print pics. Sure wish i could be sure what we saw.. the prints measure about 3 inches.
Live in colorado up in Red Feather Lake area.
Last week I had two bobcats on my deck! I managed (in my excitement) to grab my camera and get two beautiful photos of one of them. The second one had jumped down to the ground, but I did manage to get a blurred photo of it through my lanai screen. I live in the Golden Gate Estates area of Naples, FL. I think they may still be in my woods as I have heard unfamiliar deep, raspy noises, louder and huskier that a cat growl.
30 miles east of Bakersfield Ca …saw Bobcat on Cal Bodfish Rd up at top before descent to Rankin Ranch.
I Live in Cape Breton Nova Scotia Canada. I have had lynx (Lynx canadensis) moving across my property. I and my wife have seen them. Bob cats (Lynx rufus) came here due to the Canso Causeway though some native people say they were here before that. I have never seen one here on my property but I have seen their tracks. I would imagine they eat grouse (which we also have a lot of) as well as the food of Lynx. Bob cat don't like snow, particularly at the depths we can get out here so I usually see their tracks on my plowed driveway. The lynx and their tracks meander out of the forest, use the driveway and head back into the woods probably looking for another meal. The crows alert me to their movements as they seem to move around a lot during the day.
I have occasionally seen bobcats in Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo Texas.
I go there very often to bike ride. They seem to be a common creature down there. Today I saw a mountain lion just outside the park.
Wow! So exciting to see the "ghost cat" mountain lion, in daylight too! I'd be a bit nervous riding a bike near one.
In addition to the bobcat that frequents our backyard, we recently had a mountain lion visitation and have some video of him (it was a male). This was 3days after the mudflow that followed the fires here and he was likely displaced and looking for new territory.
Wow is right! You are so lucky!
Bob cat came to visit my back yard last winter in Calgary Alberta.
Thank you so much! I live in Montana & see both fairly regularly, but never could remember how to tell them apart. Your visual aid completely fixed that problem!
A lot of people don't realize that mountain lions are just as curious as any other cat. When I solo backpack in the summer and camp (sans tent) I've woken in the morning to find lion tracks ALL around my bag on more than one occasion. Now, I just assume when I make camp there's one keeping a wary eye on me whether I can see it or not.
I don't really understand people's fear of most wildlife. In the past 70 years, mountain lions have only killed 15 people, bobcats and lynx haven't killed any.
I saw a Lynx today near Green Mountain Falls, CO. The back legs were longer and the ear tufts were prominent! I am very thrilled about this sighting. I have seen Bobcats in Texas but this was my first sighting of a Lynx. I lived in Newfoundland for two years and never saw one there only moose.
trail looking at my van then slowly wandered off into the bush.
Just looking out my living room window this afternoon and under the bird feeder was a Bobcat sitting there with a a grey squirrel in it month had to go get my cell phone to take a picture and returned as it was slowly walking away with the catch in its mouth.
After reading your tail description it is definitely a Bobcat.


I'm back with more Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. This video archive post will have you witnessing Nathan Drake being locked up, a prison fight, how to complete the first puzzle and more.
Apologies on the 4th video as my AC was pretty evident. Hope you still enjoy. I will be adjusting for future episodes as I continue to finish Uncharted 4.
Be on the lookout for multiplayer as well.


Hundreds turned out last week to mark the dedication of a new building for Moscow's Cheder Menachem Jewish day school.
Standing near the Marina Roscha Jewish Community Center in the heart of Moscow, the new facility provides more space for the school's growing student body, including larger class rooms, a school synagogue, a play area, a state-of-the-art gym, a large library and ample size dining room.
The event, covered by local television stations included entertainment by the school's choir and lively music. Rabbi Berel Lazar, the chief rabbi of Russia, addressed the crowd.
The new building was funded by philanthropist Gad Nisanov of Moscow.


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The Cello Companion
Cello Resources
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Category: Improvising
March 18, 2013 March 18, 2013 Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Improvising, Music theory, Teaching the Cello, Tips and Resources for Teaching
An Introduction to Chords in Music
This post is a diversion from Bowing Technique 101, which will continue soon. I recently gave an introductory harmony lesson and thought I'd share it here. Although this does not relate specifically to cello playing, I have always found that an understanding of harmony and chords greatly enhances the study of any repertoire, especially when it comes to the interpretive stage of learning the music.
This lesson deals with the triads and seventh chords found in the key of C major. The chord labels (based on the baroque system of figured bass or Basso continuo) are relevant to the triads and seventh chords of all major keys, making it a wonderfully diverse system. As the building blocks of music harmony, chords are best studied in their simplest form in order to understand their use in music. So without further ado, I present to you An Introduction to Chords in Music!
November 9, 2012 November 11, 2012 Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Adult Learners, Cello, Improvising, Music theory, Teaching the Cello, Tips and Resources for Teaching
Minor keys and their scales Part 3
Melodic Minor Scales
I like to think of the melodic minor scale as the chameleon scale as it changes its colours. The ascending scale creates more tension by sharpening the sixth and seventh steps, and the descending scale relaxes that tension by flattening the seventh and sixth steps. The sequence of intervals for the ascending scale of A melodic minor is as follows:
Step 1 – 2 (a – b): whole tone
Step 2 – 3 (b – c): semitone
Step 3 – 4 (c – d): whole tone
Step 4 – 5 (d – e): whole tone
Step 5 – 6 (e – f#) whole tone
Step 6 – 7 (f# – g#) whole tone
Step 7 – 8 (g# – a) semitone
The descending half of the melodic minor scale is identical to that of the natural minor scale:
Step 8 – 7 (a – g) whole tone
Step 7 – 6 (g – f) whole tone
Step 6 – 5 (f – e) semitone
Step 5 – 4 (e – d) whole tone
Step 4 – 3 (d – c) whole tone
Step 3 – 2 (c – b) semitone
Step 2 – 1 (b – a) whole tone
So the ascending scale shares its first five steps with the natural and harmonic minor scales, and its sixth to eighth steps with its major counterpart (note: the major key with the same keynote and NOT the relative major). As already mentioned, the descending melodic minor scale is identical to the descending natural minor scale. We now know that harmonic minor scales form the harmonic basis of minor keys, so it stands to reason (and the name suggests) that melodic minor scales form the melodic basis. The raised sixth step prevents the dissonant augmented second interval found in harmonic minor scales and the raised seventh provides a strong resolution from a leading tone to the tonic. Since descending passages don't require the tension and definition provided by a leading tone, the descending melodic minor offers a sound truer to the overall minor structure.
The diagram below shows the structure of A melodic minor ascending on the keyboard:
Here's a video diagram showing the lowest octave of A melodic minor ascending and descending on the cello.
The development of melodic and harmonic minor scales as we know and use them in Western music happened over a long period. Their predecessors are modes, which date back to ancient civilisations - notably the Ancient Greeks. Mediaeval modes and scales share certain similarities, but follow different rules and form the basis of two different musical languages with distinctly different sounds. It was during the Renaissance period, when polyphonic¹ music really came into its own that the modal system, which had served the simpler homophonic² and monophonic³ musical styles of the Mediaeval period perfectly well, began to prove inadequate, as did the notation system. The rise of polyphony meant that music was becoming considerably more harmonically complex. The need for stronger definition in harmonic resolution drove the development of major and minor keys, and in particular the need for different types of minor scales to cater for a strong leading tone (the raised seventh) and the avoidance of awkward dissonance in melodic vocal lines (the augmented second interval in the harmonic minor scale). Dissonance was a major consideration and was avoided wherever possible in the harmonic structure of renaissance music. For this reason we see elements of all three minor scales in minor keys.
By the early baroque era (from 1600 onwards), a harmonic language based on tonality (harmony based on a key center) rather than modality had emerged. Melodic and harmonic minor scales and major scales were in common use. The range of key signatures increased considerably, and the use of key signatures with sharps was introduced. Equal temperament tuning, a system whereby the octave is divided into twelve equal semitones gained wider acceptance by keyboard makers by the 1630s. Although it did not become the principal tuning system for another two centuries, it enabled the 24 keys found in the circle of fifths - the cornerstone of Western art music from 1600 - 1900.
¹Polyphonic: Musical texture in two or more (usually at least three) relatively independent parts [The Oxford Companion to Music Edited by Alison Latham, 2002]
²Homophonic: Music in which one voice or part is clearly melodic, the others accompanimental and chiefly chordal. The term 'homophony' has also been used to describe part-writing where all parts move in the same rhythm; a more precise term for this is homorhythm. [The Oxford Companion to Music Edited by Alison Latham, 2002]
³Monophonic: A term used to denote music consisting of only one melodic line, with no accompaniment or other voice parts (e.g. plainchant, unaccompanied solo song). [The Oxford Companion to Music Edited by Alison Latham, 2002]
The following table shows major keys, their relative minor keys and the associated key signatures.
Harmonic minor scales
Now that we have studied the natural minor scale, we will look at and listen to the harmonic minor scale. The sequence of intervals in A harmonic minor is as follows:
Step 5 – 6 (e – f) semitone
Step 6 – 7 (f – g#) augmented second¹
The only difference between the structure of the harmonic minor scale and the natural minor scale is the seventh step, which is raised in the harmonic minor to create a leading tone². This means that there is an unusually large and dissonant interval between the sixth and seventh steps – an augmented second. For this reason the harmonic minor scale, true to its name is typically used as the harmonic foundation of minor keys. This means that it forms the foundation of the chords used to enrich melodic lines. The keyboard below shows the structure of a harmonic minor. The seventh step has been raised from the g natural found in the natural minor scale to g#. In spite of this the scale still shares its key signature with C major. The g# is shown as an accidental within the music. The same rule applies to all harmonic minor scales: the seventh step is raised and shown as an accidental within the music score, but never in the key signature.
¹Augmented second: an interval consisting of three semitones. An augmented second is the same size interval as a minor third but is spelt differently. If we were to spell the augmented second in a harmonic minor as a minor third we would spell it either as E# – G# or F – Ab.
²Leading note: the seventh step of a scale always a major seventh above or a semitone below the tonic. When the seventh step of a scale is a minor seventh from the tonic it is called a subtonic rather than a leading tone.
Here's a video diagram showing the first ascending octave of A harmonic minor on the cello. The augmented second requires an unusual extension from the second to the fourth fingers.
October 30, 2012 November 11, 2012 Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Adult Learners, Cello, Improvising, Music theory, Teaching the Cello, Tips and Resources for Teaching
Now that the subject of major keys and their scales has been covered, we can look at minor keys, how they relate to and differ from major keys, and the structure of their scales.
Before we look at the structure of minor keys and their scales, it is vital that we hear how they differ in sound. Major keys are thought of as having a happy sound while minor keys sound sad. Although this is a very simplistic and subjective description, it's a good start. The following two sound bites are the tonic¹ triads² of C major and C minor. The C major triad sounds brighter ("happy"), while the c minor triad sounds darker ("sad").
The crucial note in these triads is the only one that changes and in doing so dramatically alters the sound of the triad. It is the middle note – the third step of the scale, also referred to as the mediant. In a major triad the mediant is an interval of a major third up from the tonic, and in the minor triad it is a minor third up. While this is not the only note that changes when we compare a major and minor scale with the same keynote, it is the first note to define whether the scale is major or minor.
¹ Tonic: the technical name for the first step of a scale, also known as the keynote
² Triad: a chord stacked in thirds (a tonic triad is made up of the first, the third and the fifth steps of a major or minor scale
Types of minor scales
Apart from the obvious difference in sound, minor keys differ from major keys in that they are more complex, and have three types of scales for each key as opposed to just one major scale for each key. The names of the scale types are natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor. All three of these scale types have an unmistakably minor sound, but each follows a different sequence of intervals. What they all share in common is the first five notes of the scale with that crucial minor third interval between the keynote and the mediant.
Natural minor scales
Using the key of a minor, which has no sharps or flats in its key signature, we'll look at and listen to the natural minor scale first. The sequence of intervals is as follows:
Step 6 – 7 (f – g) whole tone
Step 7 – 8 (g – a) whole tone
The natural minor scale is the oldest of our three minor scale types and is also referred to as the aeolian mode. The name is taken from the music theory of Ancient Greece, and was applied to this particular scale by the Swiss music theorist, Heinrich Glarean in the mid sixteenth century. A natural minor can also be thought of as the scale of C major started on the sixth step instead of the first. On the piano keyboard it uses only white notes, and looks like this:
It is worth mentioning at this point that every major scale has a related minor key which shares its key signature The relative minor keynote is always located an interval of a minor third down from the keynote of the major key (in other words, the sixth step of the major scale). Based on this and the fact that they share the same notes, it is easy to see that C major and A minor are related. Let us now observe and listen to the scale of a natural minor on the cello.
October 3, 2012 November 9, 2012 Deryn Cullen Adult Beginners, Adult Learners, Cello, Improvising, Music theory, Teaching the Cello, Tips and Resources for Teaching
Major keys and their scales
I posted a similar article on keys in music some time ago, but since it is now buried under about two years' worth of posts and several of my students have been in need of a study guide for major scales and keys with more focus on how they apply to the cello, here's a new and improved version
Firstly, let's define three important terms which often get confused and are therefore important to be distinguished from each other before exploring how they are related.
Key: a family of notes which belong together and have a distinctive sound or "colour". A key can be major or minor and is represented by a key signature (see definition 2). Every key has 7 individual notes which are represented in the scale (see definition 3) of the key.
Key signature: a representation of the accidentals found in a key. These are shown at the start of each stave just after the clef and just before the time signature* and greatly reduce the number of accidentals that have to be shown in the main body of the score**. The order of accidentals in a key signature does not always follow the order in which they appear in the scale. Instead, they follow the order in which they appear from one scale to the next.
Scale: a representation of the notes belonging to a key in ascending and/or descending order starting and ending on the key note (i.e. the letter name of the scale). A scale of one octave covers eight steps but since the first and eighth steps are the same note, there are only seven individual notes as mentioned in definition 1. There are 3 main types of scales: major (which represent major keys), harmonic minor and melodic minor (which represent minor keys). Each type follows a specific order of intervals***
* Times signatures, unlike clefs and key signatures, are only shown at the start of the first stave and do not appear again unless there is a change of time signature in the music
** Score: a written or notated representation of music
*** Interval: the pitch distance between 2 consecutive notes (e.g. C – D = a whole tone or major second; C – D-flat = a half tone or minor second)
The structure of Major Scales
All major scales – no matter what note they begin on – follow the same structure. They are made up of a sequence of whole tones and semitones as follows:
Step 1 – 2: whole tone
Step 3 – 4: semitone
If we observe how the scale of C major is played on the piano, and then on the cello, we can actually see the difference between the whole tones and semitones. Let's look at C major on the piano first:
The red notes indicate the notes played in the scale. Notice that no black notes are played (C major has no sharps or flats), and the whole tones are always between the white notes which have a black note between them. The semitones are between the white notes which do not have a black note between them.
Since the cello does not have a logical linear map of the notes like the piano keyboard has, a video is a better way to demonstrate how the scale of C major "looks" as well as sounds on the instrument. Pay attention to the semitones, which sound closer together and are physically closer together on the cello (in this scale played between the third and fourth fingers on both strings).
Key Signatures
Because the sequence of intervals must always remain the same, no two major scales will ever have an identical set of notes. All major scales except C major have one or more sharps or flats. These are shown in the key signature, which is found at the beginning of each stave. We use key signatures to show what sharps or flats will be present in the score without having to clutter the score itself with an accidental sign in front of each relevant note. For example, if a piece of music is in the key of D major, it will have an F-sharp and a C-sharp in the key signature. This means that whenever you encounter F or C in the score, you must remember that they are actually F-sharp or C-sharp. Why not just write the accidentals into the score? There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, a score with lots of accidentals in it is messy and harder to read. The more accidentals there are in the key, the messier the score would get. Secondly, it would make it much harder to recognise accidentals that don't belong in the key. When the key signature is used, we recognise notes that don't belong to the key straight away since they have accidentals in front of them while notes that belong to the key do not.
Key signatures never contain a combination of sharps and flats – only one or the other. With C major as a starting point, if we go a perfect fifth up (tone, tone, semitone, tone or seven semitones up), we find G. The key of G Major has one sharp in its key signature: F-sharp. From here, we go a perfect fifth up to find D. D major has two sharps: F-sharp (retained from the previous key) and C-sharp. A perfect fifth up from D takes us to A. The key of A major has three sharps: F-sharp, C-sharp and G-sharp. Are you beginning to see a pattern here? It's called the circle of fifths. Not only do we find each new "sharp" key by going up a perfect fifth; the new sharp in each key signature is always a perfect fifth up from the previous new sharp. It is also worth noting that the new sharp in each key is always the seventh step of the scale. For "flat" keys, we return to C as our starting point and go down by a perfect fifth each time. Easy to remember: sharp=up, flat=down.
The following graphic shows keys and their key signatures, and should make sense if the above two paragraphs made sense.
Each major key has a related minor key which shares its key signature. But minor keys are a little more complex than major keys, and need to be covered in a post of their own.
March 31, 2011 April 22, 2012 Deryn Cullen Cello, Improvising
I've been neglecting my blog duties of late, but I'm back to indulge in a bit of the above.
Some of you may have heard of Entropik (yes, with a 'k' and not a 'c'), a cello-driven non-classical duo which features me on cello and my husband Dan on guitar and production. All music is composed jointly and is influenced by a wide variety of artists including but not limited to Bob Fripp, Tangerine Dream, Peter Gabriel and Zoe Keating.
We have just released a new album called Cellotronics: a melting pot of experimental electronica and world music. It's available as a download and physical CD, and features the tracks Sirius (runner up at the 2010 People's Music Awards) and The Pentagram (runner up at the 2010 Hitachi Driven Creativity Awards). The album has had the following kind words said about it so far:
"The Pentagram, shows real ambition and is an interesting piece. I love the 3rd movement, all the cello work and it has a great climax." Kipper – Grammy and Emmy winning producer and musician – Hitachi Driven Creativity Competition 2010
"Brilliant performance – some fantastic musicianship here! Fantastic and new!" James Atkin – Adjudicator and lead singer of EMF – The People's Music Awards
"Strong themes and good shape"Mick Glossop – Adjudicator and producer – The People's Music Awards
"Beautifully crafted cross cultural wonderment" idiotproof67 – Mental Combat
"Cross pollinating, genre defying and eclectic"DJ Pathaan – Pathaan's Musical Rickshaw
We also happen to be finalists in the 2011 People's Music Awards, having made it through the first public vote round and the judges' round. The current third round is open to public vote again, and will be ending very soon. We're at position 3 in the charts and need to get to position 2 before this round of voting ends in order to be eligible for an award in the Classical/ Jazz/ World category, so we'd really appreciate your help! Voters need to register with the site here and vote for Entropik here by clicking the black box underneath the player and placing us in your top 5. You don't need to vote for more than one artist, so just click "1" if you only intend to vote for us! If you're new to the site, you'll receive an email after signing up telling you to vote for at least three artists: ignore this as it only applies to the first round.
Thanks in advance – I hope you enjoy our alternative cello world!
© D C Cello Studio 2011
February 28, 2011 April 22, 2012 Deryn Cullen Cello, Improvising, New Cello Music
Improvisation in G
This is a link to an improv I recorded earlier this evening. It's certainly not without its glitches, but I enjoyed playing it. Sort of a musical stream of consciousness. Enjoy and feel free to comment constructively!
Adult Beginners
Amateur Musicians
Bow Technique
Buying a Cello
Cello Literature
Cello Music
Cello Positions
Elementary Technique
Getting Started as a Cello Teacher
Getting Started on the Cello
Holding the Bow
Improvising
Independent Musicians
Intermediate Technique
Left Hand Technique
Neck Positions
New Cello Music
Pairing Positions
Performance & Playing Opportunities
Playing the Cello
Position Exercises for Cello
Practising
Professional Cello Gear
Teaching the Cello
Three Finger Positions
Tips and Resources for Teaching


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Michele Soeryadjaya: Director of William and Lily Foundation
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Michele Soeryadjaya and I'm the Director at the William and Lily Foundation, which is a family foundation that my father started with his sister about nine years ago. I joined about two and a half years ago and at the time it felt like I just stumbled into it. Although looking back at how I got to that point now, it was actually kind of an organic process. I studied business in college and I was planning to get into finance after graduation, but towards the end I had also developed an interest in sustainability. Luckily I ended up at a private equity fund that focused on sustainable agriculture and water in Singapore, so I was able to pursue both interests. In the two years I spent there, I grew a deep interest in the agricultural space in Indonesia. I really wanted to learn more about it, specifically about working with smallholder farmers.
That's when I reached out to JAVARA and asked to volunteer with them for a few months. I ended up spending six months with them, half of which I spent in Flores. I instantly fell in love with the island, and at the same time realized that there was a great need in the region. So when my father suggested that I should join the family foundation and help grow its efforts, I jumped at the opportunity to do so and direct its focus towards eastern Indonesia. Today, the foundation's target areas are marginalized communities with an emphasis on those in that part of the country.
What's your day to day like at the foundation?
As a grant-making foundation, we do not implement or operate our own projects. It's not dissimilar to how a private equity fund operates – we find partners who can execute programs we want to run, and work with them closely to ensure we maximize effectiveness and impact. So there are two main blocks of activities, sourcing new projects and monitoring current projects. We are a lean team, so everyone is a little involved in all parts of the foundation's operations even though we do all have designated roles.
What motivates you to keep doing the work that you're doing at the foundation?
Growing up in Jakarta, you are exposed to the disparity and inequality that pervades everyday life from a very early age. I've been more than lucky and grateful to have been born into the easier end of that spectrum. And even though I've always been aware of the difference, I can't say that I've always understood or fully appreciated what that really meant. Being able to go to college abroad in a developed country like the US was what made me really start to realize the impact of that difference, the real difference of opportunity. And from early on I knew that I wanted to do something that would have an impact for more than myself after I graduated, whatever that meant, like many people my age and my generation. For me, a lot of it was also due to the timing – it was also the spring of 2009 when I started my studies in Business Administration, right after the height of the financial crisis. So while I learned about the appeals and advantages of capitalism, its risks and perils were also deeply ingrained in me. My key takeaway was a lesson in accountability and responsibility.
And I feel like if you look at all the big issues around the world today, I think all of it really boils down to inequality. And a lack of accountability. I know there are a lot of people who want to change that and who want to make an impact for those who have been dealt less opportunities in life, and so many people are doing exactly that but there are also many who want to that don't have the right support or means to do it yet. I feel like I am in a very lucky position to have both the support and means to do it because of my family, and this all is what really motivates me to keep at it.
As a new angel investor at ANGIN and someone with previous startup experience, what excites you about the startup industry?
I think there is something very optimistic and hopeful about the startup industry. I think more and more people are realizing that the status quo is not working for the majority of the population anymore. We are starting to see some of the consequences and negative implications of what we knew before as tried and proven methods of doing things, and there is a need to change some of those immediately. And I think that's what the startup industry represents for the most part, how to do things better for more people and with less harm. That's what I find most exciting.
What was one of the most interesting things that you got to see or do during your experience at JAVARA?
I spent six months at JAVARA, half of which I spent at their office here in Jakarta and the other half in Maumere, Flores. At the time they were setting up their production facility there, and I was kind of the defacto mandor (building contractor) because they didn't really have anyone else who could dedicate their time to it on the ground. So my main role was just really to be their eyes and ears on the ground, and help oversee the construction process. Everything was new to me. I was completely out of my comfort zone on all fronts and I learned so much because of it. The whole experience was really interesting for me. What was really cool was that I just got to speak and interact with all these people with completely different lives than my own. And especially because I got to meet and talk with all these different farmers, which was why I sought out the experience in the first place, and understand more about the issues they face and how they thought about different things. That has definitely been really valuable in guiding some of my decisions and thought processes throughout my time at the foundation because many of our direct beneficiaries are very much like those farmers.
What are you most excited about joining ANGIN as an angel investor?
I'm really excited to just learn and get to know all the different kinds of companies and ideas that are starting up. Like I said earlier, I think there is something really optimistic and hopeful about the space. The idea that there are people everyday working and thinking about how to do things better is really awesome to me. That may be a slightly naïve way of looking at things, but I do think that that is the most exciting part of the whole startup space. I'm particularly interested in agriculture, food and financial inclusion, and I know there are lots of innovation going on in those spaces so I'm particularly excited to learn about that.
How is the gender dynamic like in the foundation space?
My personal experience was that it was a bit tough for me coming in. The foundation was more alike to a typical, traditional corporate kind of experience here in Indonesia (or in many parts of the world for that matter): mostly or all men in decision-making roles and women in strictly supporting roles. So I was joining a team of four excluding myself, one woman in the administrative position and three men in active operational roles. Obviously being someone directly from the founding family of the organization gave me a boost and helped a lot, but it was definitely difficult in the beginning. There was this one person I particularly had a really tough time with. It was clear that he didn't take me seriously, he would always just laugh when I talked to him and was just really patronizing and dismissive towards me. And I could see his attitude towards women reflected in the projects he put together as well, he never included women in any trainings the foundation held, for example. Luckily though, that has been to date one of the hardest attitudes I've encountered, within our own foundation and other foundations we have interacted with.
So far my exposure to other family foundations have been fairly positive and many of them are quite well-balanced in terms of gender equality both in their own teams and their programs. I think because many of the younger generation, especially the younger women, have taken the lead at these foundations and they obviously tend to be more aware of the importance. I do also think that in general the development and non-profit space is more attuned to gender dynamics, because we encounter the harmful consequences of having that gender disparity on the field a lot. Especially in rural and marginalized areas.
Can you describe the gender disparity that you see in those areas?
All of our projects right now are in Sumba, and I think actually relatively speaking the gender disparity there is not as acute as it is in some other parts of the country or the world. There is definitely still a lot of room and need for improvement. For example, we still encounter many women as strong local figures in the communities we work in. But on the other hand, child brides is still very much an issue and prevalent throughout the island and women definitely still play second fiddle to men in household. For the most part I think it is still very much a patriarchal society and women and girls still suffer many abuses and injustices because of this gender disparity, but I do think that we are starting to see some change and progress. That is definitely the sense I get from talking to some people who have worked and lived there for some years.
For one of our projects that is centered around building the capacity of tour guides, almost half of the program participants are women. And that was not actually pre-designed, it was merely based on applications that were submitted and screened through. For another one of our projects though, it was an issue we encountered on the daily in the beginning. The project is focused on training and equipping new mothers and health workers who are mainly women with awareness and knowledge of the importance of proper nutrition. The intervention requires them to participate in an intensive 10-day workshop. We had difficulty getting this going in the beginning mostly due to the fact that husbands wouldn't let their wives make that kind of time commitment. Time in the workshop meant time away from household chores and working on the family farms or whatever industry the household was involved in. And this is something that you encounter a lot, where the women bear a lot of the responsibilities but have very little decision-making power. Fortunately though many of the husbands were able to be convinced and so we had many of our target beneficiaries successfully participate in the workshop in the end. So although that mindset does seem to be the status quo, we have seen that it can actually be changed.
Having been in the field, how do you see shifts in terms of gender dynamic and progressivity in Indonesia?
I think we've definitely seen some shifts already in our time working there, both after the fact and as it is happening. I don't know if it's like a cultural shift just yet. I think right now it's still really small and happening in silos, but at least we can see spots and glimmers of it. I'm optimistic because there are a lot of people that have and are currently working on this, both within and out of the island, so I think it will take some time before it becomes a whole cultural shift. But I'm hopeful that it will.
What strategies or tactics did your team specifically employ to get women to speak out?
I think it was just a lot of socialization really. So again, we aren't actually the ones doing the heavy lifting – it's all our partners grinding at it. But that's what we hear when we ask all of our partners about it. In this line of work, and in like many else I think, the key is in making the relationships and building that trust. So in that nutrition project I talked about earlier, the field coordinators spent a lot of time in the villages with the community. It took a lot of speaking to both the women and the husbands, understanding what was important to them and how to speak with them in a way that they could recognize the benefit we were trying to communicate. That's the hardest part I think, because a lot of these things seem abstract if you don't see the benefits of it first-hand. So I think it also really helps to have success stories of people that they know or can really relate to. Without the success stories it can be really challenging I think. Possible, but really difficult.
What kind of tangible shift did you feel organizationally on your own team by increasing diversity gender?
We definitely hit a point, or a few really, where I just realized that our team as it was just wasn't going to work out. It was a really hard decision for me and the first of its kind I had to make, but it had to be done for our organization to grow and move in the direction I hoped it would. So we had to let go of the person that had that fixed mentality of the roles of women and men. And earlier this year we added two more people to our team, one man and one woman. Both of them definitely have a balanced and flexible outlook on the roles of women and men. And I think it really has made a world of difference. I don't think I fully appreciated how much it would either until it happened. For starters I think we have just gotten a lot more thorough and comprehensive when thinking through and putting together projects because we are really considering all the different angles and perspectives now. So I think it has really improved our effectiveness and the impact that we are able to make as an organization. And I think in terms of team dynamics it's just gotten more positive and feels more like a safe space.
Having grown up in Indonesia and then being educated in the States, what kind of differences do you see? What are the pros and cons on both sides in terms of gender equality?
I was in an international school from fifth grade onwards, and I never really felt like gender equality was an issue there. Even if it was, it wasn't acute enough for me to feel it. I was in local school for a few years before that where I did feel it a bit. I was pretty tomboyish when I was younger, so I did feel like I did get made fun of for being a tomboy. That made me feel like there was this expectation of how a girl should behave, how she should look, what she should like, etc. But it was nothing really malicious, just kids being kids. So although it did have an impact on me, it was not that bad to be traumatic or anything. On the whole, I feel lucky that I was able to have the experience of going to an international school and then going to college in a country like the US where the gender disparity was not something you felt immediately at the surface (in recent years I have realized that it is most definitely there, but much less pervasive and apparent than in Asia generally speaking). Because I definitely felt the difference when I came back to Indonesia and started working here, and it was a kind of a rude awakening. Although I grew up here I guess I was pretty sheltered and insulated from it because of the school I went to, and I think my family is also relatively liberal when it comes to gender equality. And also of course you just realize things a lot more when you are older.
Do you feel that there are glass ceilings that are imposed upon women in Indonesia?
Definitely. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we are the half of humankind who can bear children obviously. But that does not mean the sole responsibility should fall on us, after all it takes both a man and a woman to create another human. I do feel lucky and grateful to be born in this generation, though, because I don't think that our grandmothers or even our mothers had the same options or freedom as we do now. Even though that disparity still exists today, it was much worse just a few decades ago. And I'm thankful to all the women and men who have worked throughout the years and are working now to change that. Though there is still work to be done, the path has definitely been paved for my generation.
What advice do you have for young women who are entering the workforce for the first time and who are facing similar hurdles?
I think what really helps in the beginning is to find allies and to figure out who are kind of lost causes if you are facing issues of gender disparity. There will be plenty of both. And I think that's also something that you have to realize, that there will be people who will forever think with that lens and will forever think that women are only born to perform a fixed role in life. And I don't think that that is limited to older people, I know plenty of young people who still think that way. But I also think it's important to not take it personally. Because there is a reason why there are people who think that way, that is just how they grew up and how they were raised. It is a systemic issue, which is hundreds of years in the making so it's not just going to go away like that. But I think it's really important to stick to the people who realize it is an issue and who stand against it. I feel kind of dramatic talking about it but it really can feel like an overwhelming fight if you experience it. So my advice would be to find your allies, stick to them and don't let the haters get you down. And just focus on the job at hand and kill it. It still happens but it gets harder and harder to deny performance. So just stick to your guns and do the best you can.
Uncategorized, Women Spotlight


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Esports.net / Esports News / Overwatch /
What to watch: OWL Stage Two storylines
Nicolas Vera
With Stage One Playoffs in the rearview, the shift in focus has started for all 20 Overwatch League teams as the second stage kicks off next weekend. If Stage playoffs taught us anything, it's become apparent that the top 8 teams all have the capabilities of beating each other if given the right scenario. Although we didn't get to see our dream New York Excelsior vs. Vancouver Titans matchup, the ensuing Final that took place last weekend was a stark reminder that there is more than a few talented teams within the league. In the meantime, we take a look at the most important league changing storylines that are sure to shake things up in the coming weeks.
Have the LA Gladiators arrived?
With the stage format of last year mixed in with the abundance of teams in Season Two's Overwatch League, there were a few missteps that took place in terms of scheduling that ended the Los Angeles Gladiators playoff run before it began. Their ill fated resurgence in Week Four was a breath of fresh air for the league, and the synergy on display from LAG for those two games easily put them in conversation as a top five team.
© Robert Paul | Blizzard Entertainment
In Stage Two, LA Gladiators enjoy a much lighter schedule in terms of quality of opponents. Of all the teams they face in Stage Two, only one of them (Seoul Dynasty) were able to make the playoffs cutoff in Stage One. If all goes well with LAG, and this team continues their upward trajectory as a team, there is a chance they can go undefeated during this stage and more than likely punch in their ticket for a Stage playoff berth next time around.
Boston/ LA Valiant trade fallout
Although this high profile trade has not been confirmed, the potential to shake up the divisions for both teams is extremely high now that LA Valiant are desperate for a change. Valiant were the first team to be eliminated from Stage One, and now more than ever they will need an ace in the hole if they want to return to form and win games at the rate they used to.
Adding Cameron "Fusions" Bosworth is an excellent first step, but some fans question the validity of the trade in terms of potential for Boston. Historically, Boston Uprising rarely do well with Korean players and they have yet to show they can unlock potential of high level Koreans without pushing them to the point of quitting first. While Kyle "KSF" Frandasia and Pan-seung "Fate" Koo are welcome additions, we still need to wait and see how they actually fit into their new surroundings.
What will the meta look like?
With the entrance of Baptiste into the meta, there is no doubt that there will be at least a few changes that will accompany Stage Two gameplay wise. While GOATS at the moment is nowhere near dead, there have been murmurs around the league that high ranking Overwatch officials are actually in favor of regimented and assigned role queues.
If this plan goes into effect, the game will undoubtedly be a much more fan friendly experience that will incorporate all aspects of Overwatch. In the current meta, the game sometimes feels too static and whether a team wins or loses a fight is rarely dependent on independent flair but rather, how well six players can gel as a team.
Can Vancouver be stopped?
The Stage One Finals was a clear indicator that no team in the Overwatch League is untouchable, but Vancouver Titans are pretty damn good regardless. With last weeks performance, SF Shock put themselves firmly in the driver's seat and they will no doubt be one of the biggest teams to watch next stage as well. SF Shock have such a nice core of young and still developing players. This past weekend saw a few of them come into form, and when this team is firing on all cylinders they can challenge anyone for that number one spot.
Lying in wake, we can't forget about NYXL even though they choked in playoffs once again. Like last year, NYXL are the scariest and most dominant team in the regular season but once it gets to a bo5 or bo7, they regularly crack under pressure.
In this respect, NYXL can benefit from a meta change but they issues are much more deep rooted into the team culture. Even still, you have to respect the potency of this lineup and last weekend's dismal outing against Seoul Dynasty doesn't make or break their season, if anything it will just revamp them.
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