What’s This? – Coyote behavior

: Sitting still listening for 6 full minutes,

: running up to the sound,

: ’twas a cat I think — well fenced in & protected

: Will it bite?

: does it respond?

: doesn’t look edible!

: And what’s this?

: smells awful,

: don’t like it!

: Startled by loud construction noise

: Sip of rain water from puddle in rock

: Grooming

: Watching in the distance — waits 5 minutes:

: runs to catch a hawk — no contest!

: Nap

Exploration and discovery are fun to see in all animals. I have photos of my own puppy barking ferociously at a low-floating helium balloon. And I remember him barking at a ceramic goose — doing so ferociously, and then retreating lickity-split, “just in case”. An office chair on the sidewalk caused my other dog to make a wide circle around it, way out into the street — an infraction she knew was severe; but to her this was safer than getting too near the alien object.

So, all within about half an hour, I watched a coyote find things and react: sounds and sightings. The coyote’s reaction to the blue stool cushion reminded me of my own dogs. I record everything with my camera and did so this time. I’ve put captions on the photos rather than write any more. The coyote’s nap was very short because a person appeared — coyotes are not comfortable with humans in the immediate vicinity. If a coyote senses that it has not been seen, it might stand perfectly still as a person passes. Otherwise it will walk briskly away from the person to keep the distance a comfortable one.