2110_2021 Coyote Frustration
October and November are usually the best months to photograph Coyotes in Grasslands Park. The young are dispersing, seeking their own territory and learning how to hunt their own food; winter isn't far off and the prairie dogs are packing on all the calories they can before the inevitable cold weather and snow force them underground. This Coyote was trying to take advantage of the situation.
But it has much to learn about tactics. Driving home after a hike in the park (to see a Plains Bison skeleton that my pal Madonna had found), we watched this Coyote making a mad, random dash through the prairie dog town, expending its energy in futile chasing and lunging. I missed the chase shots, managing to stop around the same time the Coyote did, but was able to click this shot of a very frustrated and probably hungry predator that had just failed to nab a meal. It will have to learn stealth. Although it may look impossible, given the flat terrain and lack of cover in this photo, I've seen it done. There are ditches. Some sagebrush. Large boulders. Dips and furrows in the land. A successful predator will lie low, watch, listen, use its nose, and target an individual. I've seen it work, right here in this dogtown.
So what are the Coyotes eating these days, besides prairie dogs? I found out last week. Stay tuned. I'm going to take a few days to share more Coyote pics, and all will be revealed.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2110_2021 Coyote Frustration
October and November are usually the best months to photograph Coyotes in Grasslands Park. The young are dispersing, seeking their own territory and learning how to hunt their own food; winter isn't far off and the prairie dogs are packing on all the calories they can before the inevitable cold weather and snow force them underground. This Coyote was trying to take advantage of the situation.
But it has much to learn about tactics. Driving home after a hike in the park (to see a Plains Bison skeleton that my pal Madonna had found), we watched this Coyote making a mad, random dash through the prairie dog town, expending its energy in futile chasing and lunging. I missed the chase shots, managing to stop around the same time the Coyote did, but was able to click this shot of a very frustrated and probably hungry predator that had just failed to nab a meal. It will have to learn stealth. Although it may look impossible, given the flat terrain and lack of cover in this photo, I've seen it done. There are ditches. Some sagebrush. Large boulders. Dips and furrows in the land. A successful predator will lie low, watch, listen, use its nose, and target an individual. I've seen it work, right here in this dogtown.
So what are the Coyotes eating these days, besides prairie dogs? I found out last week. Stay tuned. I'm going to take a few days to share more Coyote pics, and all will be revealed.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.