Category: Coyotes

The Coyotes and the Plucky Pronghorn

 Yesterday Mia and I were witness to quite the little drama on a trip to Antelope Island to photograph birds.  It all started when we noticed the frantic calling of a Long-billed Curlew which flew over us several times in obvious distress.    Canon 7D, 1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc At  first we didn’t know what was causing all the ruckus but soon Mia spotted this coyote.  A couple of minutes later we noticed a second coyote nearby.  We suspect that the curlew had a nest in the vicinity and it was disturbed by the foraging coyotes.  Soon both coyotes disappeared into a ravine but we hung around hoping for more flight shots of the curlew.     Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc Then, almost a quarter-mile away, we spotted the coyotes again but this time a doe Pronghorn (at least I think it’s a female and not a young male) had entered the scene.  There was obviously going to be a confrontation and at first I assumed that the coyotes would be the aggressors but I was quickly proven wrong.      Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc This doe had pluck!  After a few seconds of staring each other down the pronghorn charged the coyote on the right.     Canon 7D, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc That coyote beat a hasty retreat but the teamwork the coyotes showed was impressive.  They always stayed a short distance apart and whenever the doe would…

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Antelope Island

  Of the eight major islands in the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island is the largest at 15 miles long and 4.5 miles wide.  Frary Peak reaches an elevation of 6596 feet.  The island has an intriguing history, interesting geology and free roaming herds of bison, bighorn sheep, mule deer and pronghorn, in addition to a variety of smaller mammal species and plentiful birds.  It is one of my very favorite photography locations – especially for birds.  In this blog post I will present an overview of the island and some of its wildlife.  My next post will deal specifically with bird photography on the island.  The north end of Antelope Island at sunrise as seen from the causeway access road There is a 7 mile long causeway road that provides the only access to the island, which is actually a peninsula when the Great Salt Lake water levels are low.  It’s common to see a variety of wildlife along this causeway including coyotes sprinting at the first sight of an early morning vehicle, American Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Burrowing Owls, Common Ravens and a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds where the water comes closer to the causeway.    Approaching the north end of Antelope Island  As you get closer to the island the water comes right up to the causeway’s edge and typically there’s hordes of waterfowl and shorebirds very close to the road.  In the photo above, several shoreline levels of ancient Lake Bonneville can be seen where wave action eroded “benches” in the sides of the…

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