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On Reflection
There are benefits and drawbacks to visiting Yellowstone at any given time of the year. There are many things I love about the fall, one of which is the beautiful winter coats that the mammals wear in preparation for the harsh winter. These coyotes are a good example of the rich, full coats that the mammals put on as the weather gets colder.
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Lest you think that everything the coyote eats is of the furry variety, this bushy-tailed coyote was scouring the forest floor looking for the same thing a nearby family of black bears was looking for: pine cones. The coyote doesn’t need excellent hearing or a quick pounce for this meal, although it had its own challenges: the bears seemed to have already grabbed all of the easy pickings.
It was shortly after seeing this coyote that I saw my first wolf, and seeing them back-to-back really emphasized how large a wolf is, the coyote being similar in stature to a medium-sized dog. |
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Uh Oh, I Think He Spotted Me
This coyote was hunting in tall grass near the road and looked up at me briefly before returning to the hunt. Taken in the fall, its thick winter coat is coming in nicely.
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