I'd heard that coyotes are in this area, but I'd never seen one...until about 20 minutes ago. I was sitting in my office when one strolled by my window, not more than 20 feet from me. It was bigger than a fox, and not the normal red color of our foxes, and when I came back and looked up pictures, I'm sure. Aren't they supposed to be nocturnal? It's 12:30pm here.
Anyway, I ran outside to be sure of what I saw, and I didn't think about where he'd headed - to a dead-end corner of the yard, with horse pasture on one side, and the fenced backyard on the other. His only ways out were where I was standing, or under the four-board fence into Maja and Flekka's pasture, and that where he headed. I can't believe he ventured into that area so casually - Simon, Connie and Betty Sue were in the fenced yard, barking like crazy, and he apparently could care less. I started screaming - my initial reaction was goofy. That's the pasture the young foals live in, and for an instant I forgot they are in the back pastures...and that they really are long yearlings now. When I screamed, he started running and Maja and Flekka ran for an instant. Then...oh, no you don't! Maja's courage recovered and the race was on! The far side of that pasture is the 2x4" horse wire, and he couldn't get out. Maja and Flekka chased him along that edge for 3-4 laps until he realized he could run to the other side and duck under a fence board. I thought for a moment that she was going to get him, but he narrowly escaped. I guess this really wasn't SO exciting after I've had time to think about it, but it's odd that my gut told me to protect the (non-existent) foals. It's really odd that I'd never seen a coyote and my first citing was face-to-face, right in my own front yard. I needn't have worried though. I don't think he would have stood a chance against Maja, and the other mares always seem willing to rally to her challenges. It's really the oddest thing...I've lived on this farm my entire life, but as suburbia encroaches, I see more and more wildlife that I've never seen before. I enjoy wildlife, but I don't want coyotes coming into my yard so casually, like they own the place. My phone was in my pocket, but I was too shocked to get a picture. My horses' rabies vaccines were all boosted about a month ago, thank goodness. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED] No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.485 / Virus Database: 269.13.6/991 - Release Date: 9/5/2007 2:55 PM
