Coatimundi IV

Our son Matt and his wife Ashley, who live in Hawaii, came to see us a couple of years ago. Christine and I took them on a hike in the Galiuro Mountains looking for Coatis. Now Rung, as we call her, is from Thailand and had never seen a Coati. And, as was the case in a previous trip to British Columbia where she spotted a Black Bear, she was the one to spot a Coati family. The photo below was one of the youngsters who seemed just as interested in me as I was of him. Just a precious little animal -- much like Rung herself.

Coati

Coatimundi III

On another trip into the Galiuro Mountains I was again looking for Coatis. I went into the Cottonwood grove I mentioned yesterday, but didn't see any Coatis. Nonetheless, I thought it was the perfect place for my lunch. So, I sat down on a fallen tree trunk, pulled out my lunch and started eating. The Galiuro Mountains are a true wilderness, peaceful, quiet, and remote. So, I sat listening to the breeze through the trees and the occasional birdsong. But then wait, that sounds like the shuffling of leaves. I turned around and there no more than 15 feet from me was a Coati staring at me in just the position you see below. I put down my sandwich, picked up my camera which was next to me, and turned and photographed. As you can tell from the angle I did not get up either. After a few wonderful -- but brief -- moments he ran away. But what a wonderful surprise!

Coati

Coatimundi II

I was hiking in the Galiuro Mountains hoping to find Coatis when off to my left high up in some cottonwood trees I saw a Coati moving from tree top to tree top as if he were a squirrel. This is an animal that can weigh up to 20 pounds! I bushwhacked over toward where he was but ended up stopping in the middle of a grove of  cottonwoods. There to my surprise -- and amazement -- were a couple dozen Coatis in the trees surrounding me. I had my telephoto lens on the camera having just shot a photo from a distance (the first photo below).  There wasn't much I could do, as they all started running down the trees and off into the thicket. So, instead of trying to change lenses and take a photo I just watched this wonderful waterfall of Coatis.  The second photo is on another occasion finding a Coati fast asleep in a tree.

Oh How I Love Coatimundi!

Ranging from Southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Southwestern Texas to Argentina, the Coatimundi -- or just Coati for short. It is also known as the Brazilian Aardvark, Hog-nosed Coon, Snookum Bear, Cholla Bear, and other names not easily translated into English.  There are five sub-species, including the White Nosed Coati found in the Southwestern US, Mexico, and Central America. The other sub-species are primarily found in South America.

Coatis are omnivores, eating mainly insects, fruit, and small vertebrates such as lizards and rodents. Unlike their relatives, the Raccoon, Coatis are diurnal, i.e. active day or night. The snout is long and somewhat "piglike" and very flexible so that it can rotate up to 60% in any direction. This helps it find food in the bark of trees or in/on the ground. They have "bear-like" paws with non-retractacble claws (walking on the soles of their feet as humans). Their ankles are double-jointed which can rotate more than 180 degrees, allowing them to climb and descend trees quickly. The tail can be up to three feet long and is used for balance and signaling. For example, the tail is often held erect to be easy seen. This helps keep troops of coatis together in tall vegetation. (It also has helped me find them on occasion).

But, they are also very curious animals. One of my favorite experiences was playing "Hide 'n Seek" with one for nearly 45 minutes. He'd climb a tree and poke his head around one side then the other. I'd do the same with a nearby tree. He would run further up the tree and then down about ten feet or so before stopping. At one point, he just "lay down" in the hollow of the tree to rest  -- as in the first photo. The second photo was one of our hide 'n seek photos:

Coati

Coati

More tomorrow!

San Pedro River Revisited

After Ash Canyon I hiked along the San Pedro River and found some nice photos:

Black Crowned Night Heron

Curved Billed Thrashers

Green Tailed Towhee

Pyrrhuloxia - male

Pyrrhuloxia - Males

Song Sparrow

Western Meadowlark

Ash Canyon Revisited

A quick trip down to Ash Canyon to see if the migrating hummers had arrived yet. And, while the answer was "no" I was able to get several other nice photos:

Acorn Woodpecker

Bushtit

Ladderback Woodpecker

Rufous Crowned Sparrow

Scott's Oriole

Spotted Towhee

White Crowned Sparrow

Rarer Visitor Today

It's Spring and birds are looking for nest sites. A pair of Purple Martins were here checking out one of our drain pipes. We'll see if they stay.

Purple Martin