Last Winter's Rain Brings...

Coyote Hungry for a Snack, originally uploaded by Jen Joynt.

...this winter's healthy coyotes. I recently mentioned to a naturalist that I had been seeing more coyotes in the past few months than I had ever seen. She said that last year's rains led to more grass, which led to more mice, voles, and gophers. And, voila, more and healthier coyotes (and I imagine bobcats in other areas). And owls and raptors, too, of course.

In Tilden Regional Park, where I spend a lot of time, I had seen coyotes in new areas while running. I had gone out early to scout for Great Horned Owls before sunset and finally lucked into this healthy-looking coyote near where I had seen two coyotes while running. The coyote did not stick around long, but I managed to get a few quick shots.

And then I returned my attention to looking for owls. A mated pair started calling back and forth to each other just before sunset from deep in the trees. After the sun set, they perched more prominently before flying off to hunt.