26 March 2009

Seven turkey hens on the beach, Song sparrows singing, and damp warm air greet us as we arrive. Despite last night's rain, we are not the first to enjoy the warm air. Large boot prints and Canine tracks are present on the trail. But there are other tracks as well, clearly not dog. With hindfoot and forefoot overlapping, I'm sure this is a coyote trail. These tracks were present yesterday: huge. I measure the stride with my fingers: 21 inches from toe tip to heel of the next track.

Every spring I strain to remember bird songs. But one is clear: a Great crested flycatcher sings somewhere off in the brush. Song sparrows continue to sing, and Peepers are going strong in the nearby pond.

I continue on, and the large boot prints turn around. My suspicions are confirmed as the coyote trail continues on to the other end of the trail. 

Fen and I are out on the road now, and turn back towards the car. Something in the undergrowth catches Fen's attention. He freezes and woofs quietly. I look and look but can't make out what passed through. It was certainly larger--maybe an opossum. Still nothing. We keep going. More fresh coyote scat.

Coyotes, much to everyone's surprise, can be active at any time of day or night. Especially at this time of year and throughout the summer, coyotes can be observed during the day foraging for food. With a family to support, finding more food is critical for the litter to be successful. And there is certainly plenty of food at Presque Isle: squirrels, mice, rabbits, dead fish that wash up on the shore, berries, grasshoppers--anything they can put in their mouth is food. They'll eat anything: and this is one of the reasons for their success.