Mary April
For several years I’ve visited a nearby field to watch two coyote parents whom I named Mom and Dad. In November 2012 I found that a new coyote couple had replaced Mom and Dad as the field’s resident coyotes. I named them Rufous and Mary.
Mary didn’t look pregnant to me over the last two months. Then on Monday, Rufous and Mary were out and about together at dusk and the picture I took of her shows she is lactating.
Mary October
Mary on Monday was finally close enough for me to take a good photograph for identification. The October photograph for comparison was taken when Mom and Dad were still in control of the territory that Rufous with Mary now call home. The October photograph was taken from more than twice the distance as Monday’s. Still, I think it is the same coyote, think that Mary is Mom and Dad’s daughter from their 2011 two pup litter. There is a resemblance, I think it fairly strong. Also, Mary has eyes that remind me of Mom and she has Dad’s fleshy lower lip. I can’t seem to help softening a bit toward Rufous.
Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for more coyote photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.
Coyote Yipps 
May 01, 2013 @ 12:24:59
The territory is remaining *in the family* — Mary being Mom and Dad’s daughter. Fascinating! I still wonder what became of Mom and Dad. Hope you glimpse them at some point! Janet
May 01, 2013 @ 14:38:35
So the new generation is taking over – and that is how life works. Hope that you find out what happened to Mom and Dad. Hope you will have photos to share once pups are weaned. That would be wonderful to see.
Just picked up the 1st coyote photo this year on the game camera. Otherwise no signs of them. An overgrown field is adjacent to our farm. Another such field is separated by a hay field and house on the other side. Both are about 30+ acres and are part of the conservation program and rarely entered. The brush is pretty thick. I wonder if coyotes might live there. Conservation officer tells me the fields will be burned this winter as part of the program. I wonder what impact that might have. Suddenly everything is very green, deer are about as are turkeys – and even a coyote. Spring has truly arrived.