Wild Bobcat Kittens

Close Barnyard Swing

Stay Away, Conservation Officers Advise,

But Attraction Aims To Open Mother’s Day

By PARKER FISH • Special to AllOTSEGO.com

HARTWICK SEMINARY – Barnyard Swing owner Marcy Birch closed the attraction today on the advice  of state conservation officers after a litter of bobcats was found in an outbuilding.

Alerted by a group of youngsters, Birch investigated and found the little bobcats on a bed of hay in a back corner.

Birch, who is also CCS Board of Education president, immediately called the state Department of Environmental Conservation, hoping that a DEC officer would be able to take care of the kittens.

Instead, the conservation officers told Birch they would not move the kittens:  It’s up to the mother to relocate them to someplace safer.

“Obviously, I had to close down for the day,” said Birch. The mother cat is likely lurking around, the officers told her, keeping an eye on the little ones.

“I’ll be closed today and Saturday,” Birch said, “but I’m hoping that I’ll be able to open on Sunday for Mothers Day.”