“Mom Went North”, by Charles Wood

04 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by yipps:janetkessler in coyote behavior, reactions to a human

Tuesday I hoped to sight one of my coyotes in the nature area immediately north of their field.  The dirt road underpass of a major street is the best point of egress.  I stood in the underpass and Mom showed up as the sun was setting.  She was intent on heading north through the underpass.  However with me in her way she wouldn’t travel through it.  She retreated and I partially concealed myself a few yards north of the underpass and off to the side.  Shortly she came into the underpass and I took her picture.  She retreated again and I climbed the embankment up to the street.  From the north side of the street I saw her in the nature area.  She saw me looking at her and I took her picture.  I sat down to observe what would happen next.  When I sat down so did she.  Coyotes can sit and watch for a long time.

Bored with mutual watching, I crossed the street to look south in hopes of seeing other members of her group.  I saw that Mom had returned south and was looking up at me.  Seeing no other coyotes, I left.  I walked west on the street, headed for my car.  As I walked, Dad showed up.  On the other side of the fence, Dad charged after my dog and me at full speed.  He stopped to scrape dirt and also repeated his runs up the embankment to the fence that separated us.  He came within a few yards of the fence, was agitated, and repeatedly scraped dirt as I walked along.  When I was about a hundred yards from the underpass, he vanished into the dark.

Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for these and more coyote photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.

More Squiggling, Kisses and Falling Over Each Other

04 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by yipps:janetkessler in bonds, care for the young, communication, coyote behavior, family interactions, greetings

So, at the risk of being repetitive, I watched again as a mother came to “collect” her family to take them off to a safe place. I had passed two young coyotes earlier, full of beans and play and maybe some mischief, chasing each other and joyfully running up a path. They stopped to watch a dog walker. I sat down to talk to my dog walking friend. Soon, we realized, that we were being investigated — not us so much as the dog. That is always the case.

And shortly, as might have been expected, the mother came running up and so did a sibling. At first our investigating coyote did not notice them, but eyesight, smell and hearing are keen in coyotes, and this one soon turned its eyes in their direction. Immediately he headed for them. Here are photos of the happy and affectionate greeting that I have come to know is a constant occurrence among members of a coyote family. The mother then, with the displays of affection continuing, led the pack off.

I have noticed that the only truly wary coyote of this group is the mother. The younger ones on their own would linger and investigate right in the open if it were not for the mother appearing to lead them away. On many days they do linger and I worry that they haven’t learned what they need to in order to survive in an urban area. I’m wondering how they might learn this. Coyotes who have grown up in an urban park have few dangers presented to them: they’ve learned to avoid dogs. But they need to keep more hidden.

“Mom and Dad”, by Charles Wood

02 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by yipps:janetkessler in coyote behavior, reactions to a human Tags:

momdad

Sunday I returned to the field that is home to a female coyote, her mate and 7 pups.  I seldom see the male and female together.  Either I see Mom, Dad or Dad and pups.  Sunday I saw the parents together.  A third coyote was with them.  It may have been a pup, but it hid too quickly to be sure.

I went into their field half an hour before sunset and stood on the west side looking northeast.  The north end of their field is a major street that has a dirt road underpass.  The dirt road allows access to a nature area to the north.  I have wondered if my coyotes hunt there.  I hoped to confirm it by catching Mom in the underpass.  After 20 minutes of waiting I became restless and went instead to stand inside the underpass and look south.

I soon saw Mom heading towards me.  Seeing me, she stopped and stared.  A minute or two later Dad appeared.  He also stopped.  Both then stepped into brush.  They soon appeared again only closer.  Dad began to scrape dirt as Mom resumed her stare.  Neither retreated much, and when they did they soon returned.  Mostly they moved side to side.  Dad made an effort to defecate.  Of course they, as always, wanted me to depart.  I complied, quit the underpass and climbed up the embankment on the north side of the street.  The sun had set and from the street I saw a coyote run east in the nature area and disappear.  I hadn’t actually seen that coyote emerge from the underpass, and it was too dark to identify it.  Was it Mom, Dad or some other coyote?  I waited a bit, saw nothing more and went home.

Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for these and more coyote photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.

Rock Concert

02 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by yipps:janetkessler in communication, coyote barking, coyote behavior, coyote reactions to dogs

My friend said that she would like to see coyotes up on the rocks howling: that would make it a rock concert, wouldn’t it? Indeed it would. And the price of the ticket would be an affordable hike through the woods! Take that, Warren Hellman!!

Notice how “into” their own performances these coyotes are, as revealed by their facial expressions!!

“Mom”, by Charles Wood

01 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by yipps:janetkessler in communication, coyote behavior, coyote living areas, reactions to a human Tags:

I saw the mother of the alpha male’s puppies on July 30 and July 31, 2010.  It was near sunset and at the north end of the field both times.  The north end is a major street with a dirt road underpass.  The dirt road allows transit to a more bountiful undeveloped area.  On Saturday, July 31, 2010, I watched from the western boundary and was rewarded when she appeared.

She trotted south along the dirt road.  She stopped frequently to look behind her.  I did not see any followers.  At one point she went off the road to look behind her, probably for a clearer vantage point.  Then she continued down the road.  When she neared her destination she lifted her rear leg and urinated on the side of the road.  Closer yet to her destination she defecated, scraped, and continued to look back.  Her destination was a brushy area and she marked the spot where she eventually entered the brush.  I suspect it contains her den because she previously had showed herself to me at that same entrance.

On June 5, 2010 I walked along that road as she stealthily trailed me.  When I reached that entrance she came out and made a stand.  After several minutes she withdrew.  I cautiously followed her a few yards into the brush.  I stopped and looked for her.  I didn’t see her.  I went a few more steps and she darted out in front of me from the shadows.  Ordinarily she is timid, unlike her mate.  Although timid, she gets the job done.  I backed out of the brush thinking that something there was too important to allow an intruder.

The bountiful area to the north is certainly home to other coyotes.  I suspect she hunts there, having seen her near the underpass many times over several months.  She was likely chased away and looked back to be sure the chase had stopped.

Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for these and more coyote photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.

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