Finally had some snow in the mountains (12+in) and just less than an inch in the valley -- came on Wed/Thurs and a dusting on Sat. Today supposed to be sunny and 33degrees -- So I decide to go to Antelope Island.
Very sunny at my house and to the south but to the north where I'm heading, extremely cloudy -- sure hope the sunny weather pushes north. And it actually seems to be.
Crossing the causeway the water is frozen on both sides. To the north is very cloudy and to the south, sun is pushing through the clouds. Just driving along when I see a coyote on the north side on the ice.
He's close - maybe 20-30yrds. I stop my car and get out to watch.
I think the coyote spooks a little when I stop because he starts trotting east (I was heading west.) I'm watching him when I notice something in the brush along the road - maybe 20yrds. It's another coyote!! And he's hunting! I can see him jump into the air and onto the ground! I'm watching him but he's barely visible from where I am until he jumps. Hmmm... how am I going to get a better look.
I'm the only car on the road at this point so I u-turn my car to the other side of the road. And then cross the road slowly to watch the hunting coyote. His head goes from the left to the right as he tries to hone in on his little prey and then pounce,
pounce!
And he was successful!
I look up to find the other coyote about ready to cross the road. He crosses and heads out onto the ice.
Another car stops as they see the coyote on the ice -- but they have no idea what I'm looking at because although the hunting coyote is right on the edge of the road, the ground dips so he's invisible. Another car heading west, stops behind me and is watching the hunting coyote.
The coyote on the ice, seems a bit confused. His mate is still on the other side of the road and he seems to be waiting for him to come across so he's pacing.
The hunting coyote gets at least 2 rodents and looks up and searches for his mate. Since he's not on the north side, the coyote decides to cross to the south side of the road. Ironically at the same time, the other coyote decides to cross back over to the north side. And they never see each other.
The hunting one continues to hunt just off the south side of the road. (He gets another rodent.)
And the one on the north side, still seems confused. Finally, the hunting coyote howls, but no response. He howls and yips some more, but still no response. I'm not sure why the other coyote isn't responding or crossing the road. The hunting coyote heads out onto the ice
and he howls a few more times.
And now both coyotes are heading in the opposite directions.
By now, my hands are freezing! It 29 degrees and there's a nice wind blowing up the lake, time to take cover in my car and find some more animals!! (Can't beat this!)
I head down towards the ranch. With the fresh snow fall, the mountains on the island and the ones on the mainland look wonderful.
I see a lone bison coming down the hillside near the Frary Peak turnoff. He stops and lays down in the snow. A little further along there a pretty big herd of bison far from the road near the mountains. And nearby a smaller herd which was closer to the road.
I see another lone coyote on the ice.
I stop at the ranch and check on the owls and sure enough they are in the same tree where I saw them last (must be their home). The male still on the bottom branch and the female on the upper branch.
I thought about walking the Sentry Trail but the wind is still too cold -- even with the sun fully out now. But I do walk down to the end of the ranches fencing to get a better view of the mountains. On my way back, I hear a chorus of coyotes howling out towards the mountains.
I get back in the my car and head back up the road and over to the Bison Point parking area. I see 2 bison on the hill below the Bison Point Road. And can see about 4 bison near one of the White Rock campground roads. And a few more near the Sentry Trail.
I climb part way up the Bison Point trail. The views are nice but the wind turns me around. I drive into the White Rock Campgrounds -- the road is very icy. I spot and think about a short hike because its so white and pretty but its too cold.
Just past the Visitor Center, there's about 10 chukars (ground birds) by the side of the road. They quickly cross and disappear into the brush.
I make one final stop at a short hike that leads to a viewpoint to Egg Island -- its a breeding ground for the California Gulls. Easy trail but rocky in spots.
Now its time to head out. As I get to the causeway I'm wondering if the coyotes will still be there.
<Warning: time for a rant about people who just don't pay attention>
I start east down the causeway and get about half way when one of the coyotes appears (yea!).
He's on the south side of the road. So I stop to watch. He's still hunting. I look around and cannot find his mate. As I'm watching, he decides to cross the road and is facing south. His backfeet are on the pebbles and his front feet on the 3foot pull-off pavement. So he's basically right on the road.
I see a car coming towards me -- the road is 45mph --- and they're zipping along. And they just fly by the coyote -- I don't know how they missed him, he's right there (and if anyone has even a part of a brain, they'd wonder why a car is pulled off; they'd slow down and try to find what I'm looking at - that's the easiest way to find animals).
Well kudos to the coyote because he really didn't seem rattled that a car just buzz 3ft from his nose. And he actually moves up and now has both feet on the pulloff pavement. Clearly visible -- too most people, I guess; because here comes a big black SUV zipping along and buzzes by the coyote. I'm screaming inside because he's on the pavement. I see the coyote jump in the air away from the road. But he's OK and kudos again, because he didn't run.
But he did drop down into the grass. Whew!
Ok now the folks that almost hit the coyote (who I assume are coming to Antelope Island to look for animals and it takes almost hitting one before they noticed it) back-up down the causeway to see the poor animal they almost hit. And of course, they are clueless when they stop parallel to my car blocking my view. Grrrrrr! Then they proceeded to get out of their car and walk into the grass where the coyote was hunting! One was even waving his arms. I so wanted to yell at them. The coyote was hunting and he has no where to run from these folks, the ice is now water, the people are blocking the grass to the west, all he has is to run east down the road or cross the road but the ice on the other side is pretty much melted as well. I just couldn't bare it anymore and so I didn't get out of the car to confront them, I just drove away.
Darwin's theory has a definite hole in this urban world --- stupidity, lack of awareness and common sense continue to move forth in the human race.
People pay attention!! And give an animal its space, it just trying to survive!!
<<Rant done>>
All in all, fantastic day -- and the coyote lives for another day (at least I hope so).
Nice pix sis!
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