FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE EURASIAN LYNX

Following many days of scouting and hiding to hopefully once see the Lynx, the occasion finaly came true with the first snow of the year. On the 27 of november, I had my lucky day when scouting for a new location, at midday… Not exactly the exact settings I was expecting to see one! I was photographing Bullfinches when suddenly I had the very good idea to catch a glimpse behind my shoulder. And there she was (the KORA was able to identify the individual), quietly walking her way up the same forest road that I just used 5 minutes before!
Not at all bothered by my presence, I thought she wouldn’t even look back at my petrified face before vanishing into the forest again. But just before definitely turning back to the woods, she gave a brief look behind her (not sure she even looked at me…) and I was able to see her face. What a great moment of emotions.

My very first image of a wild Eurasian Lynx!

I will never thank enough the few Bullfinches that made me stop there. The Lynx actually popped out of the forest to came on the road just 15m from where I stood (I checked her footprints), but I saw her only when she was around 100m away from me. I heard nothing at all.

This was just before she got back into the woods. By an amazing luck, I had my 500mm + 2x teleconverter screwed on while photographing the Bullfinches, and that allowed me a good proximity with the Lynx when I saw her. I didn’t move at all from my position and waited that she vanished into the forest to then check the fooptrints on the road.

A brief look at her face, probably the best image from this encounter.

Special thanks to friends and family who helped with cues and infos, and allowed me to leave home at stupid o’clock for doing my business 🙂