Wildlife of The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast - Part VI

Continuing with wildlife seen and photographed since the start of the Coronavirus Pandemic:

Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail

Cooper's Hawk Juvenile

 Coyotes come by frequently but don't linger. They may stop to get a drink in one of our water bowls. Otherwise they are just passing through on the hunt. Here's a very healthy looking one:

Coyote

Desert Cottontail

Desert Kingsnake

Harris Antelope Ground Squirrel

Columbia Icefields Coyote

One of my favorite places to explore and photograph wildlife is the Columbia Icefields which is a 187 mile stretch between Jasper National Park and Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is about a 3 1/2 hour drive without stopping. Not sure what you would be doing in this remote part of the world if you wouldn't want to stop and see Caribou, Moose, Mountain Goats, Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Grey Wolves, Coyotes, and many glaciers. 

I have wonderful memories of my many visits to this area. Today I thought I would share a 30 minute experience I had once with a Coyote. You may ask what is so special about that. You see coyotes walk through your backyard all the time. It's true, even though coyotes were nearly extinct in the 1920's, they have rebounded to the point of near excess. 

Even today,  500,000 coyotes are killed every year in the US. That's nearly 1400 coyotes killed every day. 90,000 are killed by our State or Federal Government. Many are killed by local ranchers. Many are killed by huntsmen. Many are killed by vehicles.

Yet their population continues to increase. They have adapted to all parts of the United States, Canada, and Mexico; from east to west, from sea level to 10,000 feet; from tropics to desert; from seasides to forests; urban, rural, and wilderness.

I'm sometimes asked, "Are coyotes dangerous?" The simple answer is "no." The last death in the US from a coyote was in 1980, when a two year old child was left by herself in the backyard of a home in a wilderness area of California. On the other hand, between 30-50 people are killed by domestic dogs each year in the US.

Cartoons always depicted coyotes as "mangy." I've never stopped to count how many coyotes I've seen, but I could count on one hand how many I'd call mangy. Coyotes have beautiful full coats; one of Mother Nature's most beautiful.

On to my story. I was driving along the Columbia Icefields Parkway, when I saw a Coyote laying down out in the middle of the Icefield. I pulled off the road and spent the next 30 minutes photographing him. At first he was content to just stay put. Then he got up and started walking parallel to the road, so I just followed him from the road. Eventually, he wanted to cross the road, so I just stopped as he walked right in front of me. It was a thrilling experience that I feel fortunate to have photographed:

Winter Wildlife: Coyote

Winter is approaching. And with it comes opportunity for interesting if not fascinating wildlife photography.

Continuing the series on "Winter Wildlife" Photos.

The resilient Coyote on the Columbia Icefields:

My Favorite Wildlife Photos of 2017 - 7

For the remainder of the year I thought I'd share my favorite wildlife photos taken in 2017.

So here they are (in alphabetical order):

Coyote

Christine and I were hiking in Tanque Verde Wash when we came across what appeared to be a log in the middle of the wash some 200 yards away. However, after a few steps closer, the "log" moved. We were able to get within 75 yards before the "log" -- well, now we realized it was a Coyote, got up and started walking into the brush. I was able to get several photos but like this one best because he was walking and looking at us at the same time.

Sweetwater Wetlands: animals

When I get a chance to go early, I am always looking for - and hoping to find Bobcats or Raccoons. Of course any time of the day there are Desert Cottontails.

One of the mornings last week I found an Arizona Cotton Rat:

And then a Coyote which was hunting in one of the Recharge Basins:

Tanque Verde Wash: Coyote

Christine and I hiked Tanque Verde Wash yesterday. Almost immediately we saw a juvenile Gray Hawk perched in a tree; then rounded a bend and startled a Coyote who disappeared quickly into the brush. Continuing down the wash we encountered many more raptors: Red Tailed, Cooper's, and Sharp Shinned Hawks. 

We also spotted what looked to be a log in the middle of the wash some 200 yards away. But after a minute or so one end of the log lifted up and seemed to have ears. We were able to get closer without being noticed and got some nice photos:

the "Log"

Oops, a Coyote

Still Closer

Santa Cruz Flats -- Those Burrowing Owls

Santa Cruz Flats is the most reliable place to find Burrowing Owls in Southern Arizona. Guests the other day found six! I made a pass through and came across this nice pair begging for a photo:

Burrowing Owls

 It was also nice to come across this Coyote -- who took off running as soon as he saw me. I watched him run for a couple hundred yards. Wonderful sight:

Coyote

New Wildlife Photos from The Azure Gate B&B

Spring has come early here -- at least the flowers anyway. Here a female Anna's Hummingbird is feeding from them:

Anna's Hummingbird

Spring also means mating season for some wildlife. We have a pair of Cooper's Hawks that nest in our large Aleppo Pine Trees. Here is the female sitting in one of those pines:

Cooper's Hawk

 Coyotes have been yipping away every night. Here a very beautiful one strolls through behind the office:

Coyote

And of course, cardinals are out and about. Here a male Pyrrhuloxia (Grey Cardinal) singing hoping to find a mate:

Pyrrhuloxia Male

Birding Santa Cruz Flats in Arizona

First a note to welcome the 125th country that has visited this blog: Antigua & Barbuda. Thank you for your in interest our Wildlife. It clearly is something people around the world have in common.

Santa Cruz Flats is one of the great winter birding spots. There are riparian areas along the Santa Cruz River, scrub desert, and farmlands. All provide a wide variety of birding experiences. Here are a sample of birds photographed on December 9, 2015:

American Kestrel

American Pipit

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

Burrowing Owl

Common Ground Dove

Oops, a Coyote

Crested Caracara

Ferruginous Hawk

Snowy Plover

Prairie Falcon

Roadrunner

Rock Wren

Wildlife in Yellowstone

Back to photos from my trip to Yellowstone. Today, up close and personal with a Coyote:

Coyote among the Wildflowers

Coyote Chewing on Something

Coyote Back to the Wildflowers

The Last Coyote - VI

The last of my "5" Star Coyote Photos also comes from Alberta. This gorgeous Coyote  approached me curiously. He got to about 20 feet away. I talked to him about, but a few seconds later he got distracted by something to my left. Whenever I sort through my photos I can never decided which of these two rates a "5".  I like them both. So here they both are:

Coyote

Coyote