[Dailydrool] coyotes

[Beverly Szaton]

Coyotes have been moving in closer and closer over the past few years.
Especially, I think, since the Army Corps of Engineers took my beautiful
tracking field and turned it into a wetlands. They are now in the process
(well, the Village is) of tearing out another large tract of formerly woody
land and turning it into a dog park which is about 3 blocks from my house
and to which my dogs will never go because I have done dog parks before and
learned to beware. (Plus the ratio of Pit Bulls to other breeds in this area
is probably 3:1.)
I have seen a coyote trotting down our street in midday. Also a fox. I
nearly ran over two deer trying to get up a high, cement wall by the
railroad tracks (industrial) and we regularly have skunks, raccoons and
possum.
I do not *think* Coyotes can get into the yard, with the 6 foot fence, but
trust nothing.
What surprises me  is that Conley, with no prior knowledge of the risk
involved in Coyotes, responded instantly and without hesitation with
absolute terror to their howling. It must be an instinct, hard=wired into
the survival reflex, but they sound so similar to dogs that I am still
amazed that the difference is so apparent to the dogs.
Similarly, my indoor cats (ATB) used to  leave the room when I played tapes
of birds-- when it got to the owls and hawks. They would camp happily by the
speakers for the cardinals and bluebirds, but the moment an owl hooted they
were up and gone. They had never had any experiences outside, they were even
born indoors.

When the puppies (Nigel and Llewis et al) were about two days old it was
very hot and I had the window to the whelping room open. About 4 one morning
Zelda woke me up growling fiercely and hackles up, being very menacing
toward the window. I looked out and standing on the lawn about 15 feet away
was a coyote, sniffing (no doubt) the newborn puppies. There is no way Zelda
could have seen him. But she sure knew he was there....

We are watchful.
MomPerson to Nigel, Llewis, Conley and Cooper
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