Look closely; you'll see the head of a coyote as it sits watching.
Somebody found Casper and I interesting while out on our walk the other day. For a moment it looked like he might come closer; it was as if he was sitting there thinking about it as he watched. And I walked backward, watching him, wishing he would, but remembering that even though a coyote has never been known to attack a person around here, it has been happening -- last year a young woman out hiking in Nova Scotia was killed by two coyotes, and someone in Manitoba had a run-in with one, too.
The bad news is, coyotes have killed a month-old calf and yesterday, I'm told, three of them marched down the road as if they owned it, turned in the driveway at South Forks (my handle for the family "complex" a mile from here, where we lived before moving to GGFarm; it includes a big white farmhouse), and went right into the yard where the house is, where the vehicles are parked, where the kids play, where from in front of the barn they dragged away another calf carcass.
Bold as brass.
The blue heeler, who normally would keep them at some distance, was cowering in the basement because it had been thundering.
I live in downtown Niagara on the Lake and foxes and coyotes frequently snatch cats and small dogs. It's a rare day that we don't see one when we're out walking.
ReplyDeleteWe also have coyotes were we live. You can hear them howling at night. Lucky for us our dogs are bigger than they are and so they leave us alone. But the cougar scares the hell out of the dogs, they leave him alone. If my big dogs are charge the door and hide behind the bed, we know he is in the area.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy, Friday evening our dogs started barking and circling the house. Then the coyotes started howling. It sounded like they were right in the yard. I was worried they coyotes would chase the horses. But our dog, BooBoo, who is a malamute (she is big) kept them away. Ranger; the pup who visited your place, was following her and barking but I don't think he knew what he was barking at. The coyotes left shortly after. I was really happy to hear just the birds vs the coyotes howling.
ReplyDeleteCoyotes and wolves and cougars are part of life here in the northern interior of BC. It is a rare day indeed, when I don't hear or see at least a coyote, if not a wolf. They are shot as a matter of course if they are killing farm animals. I know it has to be done, but I mourn for them...we are the interlopers here, after all.
ReplyDeleteWithout our fenced yard, which the dogs circle, I'm sure they would be closer than the garden gate.
No coyotes here just shunks and groundhogs taking up residence in my yard.
ReplyDeleteOur neighbour reported coyotes eating one of his calves AS IT WAS BEING BORN. Kinda makes you feel less sympathetic toward them. But that's nature -- it's without compassion.
ReplyDeleteSheila, when I was looking after my niece's chihuahua, Ducky, I'd let him out to do his business before Lights-Out and one night I thought it was him yipping near the raspberry patch right near the house. Alas, it was coyotes right up close. I love listening to them, but would have been heartbroken if they'd gotten that little dog.
Doesn't sound like good guys, those coyotes. I think I can be really lucky that they don't live here :S
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