Feb 072010
 

Coyotestare

We are going to build a store in Wyoming.  So “I” needed to go this week and start the ground work for the store.  I get teased a lot for assigning to myself any scope of work near Yellowstone.   I’m not too proud to say that this is mostly true.

Friday and Saturday was spent in Yellowstone.  Never having been in the park in the winter I was looking forward to this trip.  The only road open to four wheels starts at the north entrance at Gardiner, Montana and goes to Cooke City.  Some of the best wildlife viewing in the park.  It was an incredible two days.  For the next few days on my blog I will show the range of wildlife that I had the great opportunity to photograph.  And for those of you that follow my blog….stay tuned this week because one experience I had was very unique.  Not just for me but for any park visitor.

The coyote in these photographs was unusually animated.  In the park for these two days the theme was survival.  This coyote was not about to let his snack get the best of him.  It all started with the usual stopping and the back and forth tilting of the head.  The coyote has incredible hearing.  It in fact is pin pointing the sound of a varmint under the snow.  The give away of the upcoming leap is the coyote slowly moves his body weight back to his hind legs.  Then he springs forward!

Coyote Jump1

I have seen this hunting routine before.  The coyote lunges upward and forward burying his face in the snow.  On this occasion he took two leaps in sequence.

Coyote Jump2

In the snow goes the Coyote face and mouth.  Out comes the snack.

Coyote Lunch

Except this time the mouse BIT the coyote.  He dropped the mouse.  This photograph shows the expression of the coyote just as he was bit and dropping the mouse.

Coyote Bite

He was  not happy with the what was supposed to be his snack.  This photograph reveals his feeling toward the mouse.  The action afterwards I will choose to not post to protect the squeamish (like miss Nall).

Mad coyote Tomorrow a new adventure.  Another beautiful animal in Yellowstone (in winter conditions).

 Posted by at 9:54 PM

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