Beloved JOAN: I have a bobcat problem. Twice they have killed chickens in my lawn.

New Pet Pal LogoWell-nigh a twelvemonth ago, one killed iii chickens and nosotros trapped it in the chicken coop. Animal rescue took it abroad, but had to release information technology within a nearby perimeter. Recently, one killed another chicken, at mid-day. My husband chased it abroad.

They are vehement and frightening animals. What's going on with the bobcats? Concluding year, animal rescue said they never heard of a bobcat in a Walnut Creek neighborhood.

How can we protect our pets? Is there annihilation nosotros can practise?

Anandha R., Walnut Creek

DEAR ANANDHA: Bobcats have long been in the general area, only I believe the prolonged drought brought some of them out of the more than remote areas, post-obit their casualty into our neighborhoods, where they've ready upwards new territories.

Bobcats are not fans of humans and all of our activities, so they continue their distance, but on occasion, we requite them as well much temptation. Bobcats are solitary hunters, and one plainly has spotted some weaknesses in your chicken operation and is taking reward.

If y'all let your chickens have free run of the garden, every bit many people do, it might exist time to put them in their coop for a while. The bobcat could be lured to your yard by the smell of the chickens, so keeping the coop actress make clean will assist. And so will removing or storing pet food that might attract rodents, which concenter larger predators.

Also, strengthen your chicken coop to keep the bobcats out. You might want to electrify the perimeter. Although the latest incursion came during the day, you too can invest in some predator lights, such as Solar Nite Eyes. These are simple devices that plow on at sunset and off at dawn, and provide a flashing cherry light that bobcats and other creatures fault for the optics of another predator.

The central to success is to movement the eyes around from time to fourth dimension, creating the illusion of a mobile animal. A four-pack sells for less than $100, and they are solar powered.

You also might arrive a practice, for a while, to do random visits to your chicken coop several times during the night and day. We humans are fairly frightening to most wildlife and they will exist less probable to visit if they know humans are oft around.

Honey JOAN: I was trying to figure out what kind of owls are living in the palm tree on the side of my business firm.

Owl or a Cooper's hawk? (Reader submitted)
Owl or a Cooper's hawk? (Reader submitted)

They merely started living in that location most a month ago — really, really absurd. They look white with some grayness. I haven't  gotten a good picture yet but I have ane photo of it on my back fence.

I have no idea how to find any additional information nearly these awesome birds.

L.N., San Jose

Beloved Fifty.: You might have owls living in the palm tree. Information technology's mating season for owls, and a pair of great horned owls could have built a nest at the meridian of the tree.

However, based on a the photos you sent and I shared with some surface area bird experts, nosotros recall the bird on your fence is a juvenile Cooper'south hawk.

It is possible that yous take owls in the palm tree and a Cooper's hawk visiting your yard, simply we'll need to see more and clearer photos to know what's going on.