Alberta Coyote

Sometimes you can get close to coyotes. Strangely, I haven't found that to be the case so much with the coyotes here at The Azure Gate. They come through often, yipping often at night or passing through during the day. Yet, when we see them they walk away swiftly -- or, they "Shape-Shift." Okay, an explanation is in order. The Native Americans believe that coyotes can change their shape. And, I am not one to say that belief is wrong. I was photographing a coyote here, heard yipping behind me, turned and saw a coyote. When I turned back around the coyote I was initially photographing was gone. I turned again and the second was gone. When I say "gone" I mean gone no sign of them, not running movement 20 - 30 yards, nothing. Well, except I would swear that was new prickly pear cactus that wasn't there before. Spooky! Anyway, back to Alberta the photo above. Occasionally, you see a coyote along a road and you stop and the coyote comes toward you. Chances are it is a coyote that has been fed by humans. Such a shame. Then again, sometimes in the middle of nowhere you see a coyote that doesn't run away but just stares at first. I wish I could say that is the case above. No, it was the first case, probably fed by humans. But, it did afford me a nice close up. Once he realized I wasn't going to feed him he walked away.