Stealth, Shadows and Call of the Wild!
27 Apr 2010 1 Comment
If you encounter a coyote, it will most likely be a surprise encounter for both of you on a path. Or, it could be that you will see a coyote off in the distance hunting, or you might see it watching the world go by before it moves on. These glimpses of a coyote can be thrilling and exciting for us city dwellers: finding wildness in our own back yard becomes the highlight of an entire week! The feeling we get from seeing such a wild animal is that the world belongs to all of us.
But another feeling you can get from coyotes is that of stealth, shadows and ghosts! In these cases, usually when it is dark, you might get the feeling that you have seen something move somewhere, but you are not sure where. Your eye actually saw it but only registered it in part — our own senses have not been honed for living in the wild. Next to a coyote’s, our senses are rather dull. A coyote may very well follow or watch you as you move about — it is its nature to be aware of its surroundings. When a coyote knows it was not seen, it may prefer try to remain that way, so it will travel at a distance and in a line where it would be hard to detect. Also, because of a coyote’s lightness and litheness, it can move about in almost total silence. I have sensed these “ghosts” on some of my walks when the light was very dim.
But today in the late morning I sensed something new. I sensed being wild. I had decided to visit an overgrown area where I previously had seen fabulous moss on damp stones. I ducked into this area off the beaten track — you had to duck, you could not stand up. The moss was green and damp and the ground was soft. Yes, this is where I would take some moss photos. While I was there I spotted a banana slug — that was something new for me to get an image of. The light was not good, so I had to fiddle around with my settings. I made soft clicking sounds, which no one could have possibly heard — maybe. I made myself comfortable so as to enjoy the coolness of the place and I became pensive. It was wonderfully peaceful. Then, did I imagine I saw something move? I couldn’t really tell. I became very still. All of my senses became finely acute — there was an intensity of awareness in me which I was not used to. It was emphasized by the total quiet around me.
Something was happening. Overgrowth surrounded me so I could not see beyond just a few feet. Then, from outside of the canopy of leaves in front of me, the sun revealed a silhouette. I saw the head and ears and knew what it was. I then saw its coat as it sat down for only an instant before it was gone. The silhouette never faced me, so it probably didn’t actually see me — it just sensed me with its keen smell and hearing. This experience was the closest to “the wild” that I have ever sensed being: Not only did it involve a tremendous sharpening of my own senses, but I could see that the coyote, with all of its very acute senses, was gathering the information it needed for its own survival. I had the opportunity to touch the wild today: watching a coyote’s stealthy and acutely sensitive behavior, and having my own senses intensify the way they might have had to if I had to survive in the wild.
Bouncing Greeting
27 Apr 2010 1 Comment
Jumping up high several times from the hind legs — or bouncing — is used by coyotes as a greeting for a few SELECT dogs. My dog and I were greeted this way on various occasions several years ago when we came across a coyote for a period of several months. There was no mistaking the friendly intent: “Hi there, I’m so glad to see you”. Could it have had a sexual component?
Since that time, I have come across another walker who reminded me of this behavior. The walker let me know that a coyote, not the same one that I used to see, had just seen him and his dog at not too great a distance and began this jumping. I asked him if the encounter was a surprise one that might have made the coyote defensive. The walker said absolutely not, he wanted to make it clear to me that it was a greeting, and that it actually occurred fairly regularly. It didn’t happen every time he came across this coyote, he said, but often enough so that he knew how to read it. I recalled my own experience when I had a dog, and I knew he was right.
The dogs involved in both of these cases were large males who never went after the coyote and pretty much ignored it. The only reaction these dogs had was a playful bark which made the coyote move back a little — this was probably the intent of the bark. There seemed to be a mutual respect for personal space and a mutual respect for “differences” that both types of canines were aware of and lived up to. The coyote, after the greeting, often followed for a few minutes or lay down to watch, carefully observing all the moves of the dog it had just greeted. Coyotes are able to read every detail of a dog’s character and intentions from its eye contacts, body movements and energy. From observing, the coyote can confirm for itself the friendly — or at least not unfriendly — nature of the dog and whether or not the coyote should expect any adverse behavior.
I have seen other dogs, those which have chased the coyote, approached in a totally different manner by a coyote. The approach was extremely brief, only a few seconds long, but it involved a kind of oneupmanship and testing from both the coyote and the dog: a sequence of short coming-in close and retreating. This is totally different from the behavior I have described as a bouncing greeting.
By the way, I have never seen a coyote greet another coyote in a bouncing manner. Coyotes greet each other by coming in close to each other, face to face, and they often caress — at least those within the same family. If a coyote does come up to a dog, it tends to do so towards the rear end of the dog.
I have not been able to get a still photo of this, but three years ago I did get a video, with my Canon point and shoot camera, of the “bounce” which I have put up on YouTube:
Looking Up To A Coyote Sibling and Sibling Curiosity
25 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in coyote behavior, dominant vs. submissive, family interactions, group activity, hierarchy Tags: coyote behavior, hierarchy
-
- following and leading
-
- following and leading
-
- checking on the follower
-
- looking to the leader for a cue
-
- looking toward the leader
-
- what’s the leader doing?
Of course, the pups in a family always look up to their mother. And she, the mother, leads and disciplines with care and firmness and affection. But when the mother is not around, or at least not close by, I’ve actually seen a hierarchy among the siblings. It’s less that there is a leader than that there is a follower, though I’ve seen the leader check on the other. The follower waits for, and looks up to the other sibling. I’m still seeing this behavior at one-year of age. Maybe this hierarchy is permanent? They BOTH constantly check on what the other is up to — there is always an immense curiosity and interest in this!
The leader is generally bolder and can be seen more often exploring on its own, or exploring just with the mother. The follower is much shyer and prefers not to be seen by people, flees quickly, and only hangs around if either the sibling or mother are there.
Carrying Off Its Prey
24 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
Here is a young coyote running off with a gopher in its jaws instead of devouring its catch right then and there, which would normally be the case.
It is pupping season. Because new mothers at first must remain with their new pups to keep them warm and to feed them, other members of the coyote’s family, including pups from the previous year’s litter, will chip in to supply food to the new mom. Here are photos of a coyote carrying prey. Could this coyote be feeding another?
Hunting In Tall Grass
22 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in avoiding humans, coyote behavior, hunting Tags: coyote behavior, hunting
I saw this lone coyote four times in the same morning. First, it was hunting way in the distance — it did not catch anything.
Then I encountered it again, headed towards me on a path around a bend, so we didn’t see each other until we were fairly close. Instead of taking off, lickety-split, this coyote casually looked at me before it wandered away from in a fairly leisurely, not too hurried manner: there was no intensity to its behavior.
Right after that I spotted it a third time, hugging along the edge of some bushes where it was harder to see it — it was obviously trying to avoid running into anyone. I should say that few people are in the parks when I see coyotes: I think when people are around, the coyotes just don’t come out so much. The exception to this observation is when a coyote comes out specifically to “monitor” dogs: to keep an eye on dogs, especially those which have previously chased it and to make sure these dogs head out of the park.
Then I spotted this same coyote a fourth time as it hunted in the tall grass. It saw me in the distance, but continued its hunting endeavor — it was obviously onto something, and it may have been hungry. What was fun here, which I didn’t capture particularly well in the photos, was that the coyote was almost totally hidden from view, but would “bounce up” above the tall grass every few seconds to get a view of its surroundings, then it would descend again! These photos show the highest level of the bounce. I was not able to capture the curved back nor the total disappearance of this hunter. Obviously it was a delicious catch. Please notice the exceptionally beautiful white markings of this coyote!
Snips and Snails and Coyote Pup Tails
22 Apr 2010 1 Comment
in coyote scat, indirect signs of coyote presence
Lots goes into defining a coyote. Here is some “stuff” relevant to coyotes in our parks — sort of. Well, especially the tail in a field! Of course there are the footprints after a rain storm and there is scat. I like the flowers and moons which thrill me as much as the coyotes do — they are part of the coyote’s environment! I have found a number of dead moles — I’m wondering if these are always discarded by coyotes. I continue to see raccoon prints — always in the same locations, so I think adult raccoons can hold their own against coyotes. And yes, coyotes eat snails!!!
Change of Appearance Due to Shedding
22 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in coyote's coat Tags: coyote appearance
Coyote winter coats, thick and fluffy gray with strong black markings, are now being shed as the weather changes. Note the heavy winter coat above left, and the coyote to the right who is in the process of shedding this coat. The coyote’s new coat is shorter and darker, and the markings are not as intense. Also, as more winter fur is shed, the same coyote will appear much thinner. The change is so different that it makes it very possible to mistake it for being a different coyote, but in fact it is one and the same. I’ll try to add a third photo when the shedding is complete in mid-June.
The first two photos show the heavier winter coat. The third shows that coat thinning out, leaving a darker, more uniform colored coat. The last section of the coat to shed will be the neck area: a coyote in June often looks like it has a mane!
Display of Temper and Anger at Being Thwarted
22 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in coyote behavior, feelings & emotions Tags: coyote behavior
This story is second-hand to me, as told to me by a volunteer at one of the wildlife rehabilitation centers in this area. Apparently a coyote was brought into the center with an injured leg. Unless the circumstances are extremely dire, this should never be done. A coyote can heal on its own, or even live with its injuries. Removing a coyote from its family situation is just about the worst thing that can happen to it. Coyotes are part of an extremely strong family network, with their social status and duties well worked out — each coyote knows what it can expect from the others and from itself. When a coyote is removed — because we humans think we can handle the situation better than they can — the scheme is disrupted. There is intense mourning for the individual lost — how would they know that the removal might only be temporary? — nothing will ever be the same. They re-organize and begin to function in this new mode. Then the “rehabilitated” coyote is returned, whereupon this coyote now must be reaccepted and claim its previous spot. I can imagine that everything does not fall into place smoothly.
The story I want to tell, which surprised me, was that of an injured coyote who was captured and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center. Here it was treated and confined. The coyote did not want to put up with the confinement — it was “trapped” — it was like being in jail with the added fear that it didn’t know when its captors were going to hurt it or possibly eat it. Being captured and confined is a terrifying experience for all animals. The coyote displayed its intense anger and immense temper by actually lifting its bowl in its jaws — picking up the heavy ceramic bowl filled with food, and smashing it into pieces against the floor — at every single meal. That this coyote was effectively displaying that it was mad might be revealing to some of us humans. Coyotes have all the intense feelings that humans have — we need to recognize this. This coyote wanted to be set free to rejoin its family, but the coyote could do nothing about it.
An Injured Leg
19 Apr 2010 3 Comments
in coyote behavior, coyote reactions to dogs, urban coyote ailments Tags: coyote behavior, leg injury
Some coyotes are less visible these days because they are having pups. But this is not the only reason one might become less visible at this time of year. Today I spotted a coyote which I had not seen in a number of days. I saw it because it had been “flushed out” by a dog. The dog had not gone after it, but the dog inadvertently came close enough to upset the coyote — the coyote had been on the other side of a bush. This coyote began an intense defensive display: hackles up, scratching the ground while bucking up, lips pulled back and teeth displayed. The dog owner and his dog turned around to go the other way to get away from the coyote, but the coyote followed them — in this case this was a behavior used by the coyote to warn the dog from coming back. When the man stopped on the path, the coyote began a long barking session: “don’t mess with me.”
I thought to myself that this particular coyote behavior could very well have been mistaken for that of a new mom coyote during pupping season — this is what first came to my mind because of the coyotes unusually edgy behavior. But there was another factor, which may in fact be the entire reason for this strong behavior: the coyote had a substantial leg injury. An injured animal may act much more protective of its personal space for its own feeling of safety.
As this coyote barked its discontent at the dog, a limp in the left hind leg became readily apparent. And yes, my photos show not only the leg being held up, but also a long red gash on the very lower part of this leg. So, in this case, rather than there being a new litter of pups involved, there was the phenomenon of a bad injury that would have kept this coyote lying low and out of sight for the past few days. I have noted several times now, after not seeing a coyote for an extended time, that its “lying low” was attributable to such an injury.
I know of at least three times within the last two years that this same coyote has sustained severe left back leg injuries. This time, however, is the first time I have seen a wound. I’m wondering why this same leg continues to get hurt? Could the coyote have been in a fight with another coyote or a raccoon? Or could it have been trying to escape from such a fight when it sustained this injury?
Springtime: Other Babies and Fun Behavior
17 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: owls
It is pupping season for the coyotes. Coyotes keep their pups well hidden and safe for a long period of time. A mother herself may stay more secluded during the beginning of this time period, re-emerging quite a bit more defensive and vocal than when she last was out and about. Pups, for the most part, will not be seen until they are nearly full grown. You’ll be lucky to spot one at about three months of age: although the almost full size might deceive you into thinking it is an adult, the behavior will be the dead giveaway!!
However, other babies are around, including Great Horned Owlets who are, right now, about ready to take flight. All animals have fascinating habits and behaviors. I’ve put these owls in here to create some variety from the coyotes, and for the fun of it. These owls “branched” on the day I took these photos: they left the nest to sit on nearby branches of the same tree. They will remain in the tree for only a few more days. After they take their first flight — enticed out of the tree by their mom — they will not return to their nesting tree, but they will inhabit trees in the immediate vicinity and they will spend a lot of time with their parents learning to hunt and defend themselves, and honing their flying skills which are very awkward at first.
“Teenage” animals of all species are the most interesting ones to me. They are almost full-sized, but still exhibiting a lot of juvenile trust and curiosity. A number of people have had the experience of a coyote following them: the coyote often is a young one which is curiously watching and trying to understand. Well, I met a woman yesterday who told me that several years ago she spotted an owl fairly low in a tree. She was thrilled to have spotted it, so she remained with it for a while to watch it. And it watched her, not moving from the perch on which she had found it. After a while, she decided it was time to go. As she walked away, the owl actually hopped and flew along beside her, keeping up with her some distance! I tell this story to let everyone know that coyotes are not the only ones who follow out of curiosity. I myself had a hummingbird follow me and examine me up close — and I’ve seen hummingbirds do this same thing to a howling coyote!! The woman did not remember the date when this happened, so we could not know if it was a juvenile owl or an adult one.
In the photos above, the owlet to the left is the “younger” one — owls lay their eggs one at a time every few days, and the few days difference in age is readily apparent. Here they are huddled together, maybe for warmth and maybe for security. As I was taking the photos suddenly the one to the right opened its eyes really wide as if it had been startled. It bent its body over, beak agape as if it were really onto something it was watching on the ground. It continued to lean over, somewhat opening and closing its beak. I thought it was reacting to a black Labrador which was sitting with its owner below the tree. But no, a few seconds later I was flabbergasted: an owl pellet came out and I caught it in an image!! The entire “urp”, took exactly 24 seconds.
An owl pellet consists of a compacted mass of teeth, hair, feathers and bone remains of the animals eaten by the owl. Owls eat early in the evening and upchuck this one pellet, once a day, just about 20 hours after eating. The owl’s stomach acids are not strong enough to dissolve these remains of their meal, and instead, the undigested fur, bones and feathers are compacted into a wet, slimy pellet.
To see the progression as three owlets grow up go to: Owl Family of Triplets Grows Up!
