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<\/p>\nWhen I visit Antelope Island I always try to arrive on the island proper a few minutes before sunrise. But that means that if I find any interesting photo subjects along the causeway on my way to the island, it’s before sunrise so light is marginal at best.<\/p>\n
Foraging coyotes are the photo subject I find along the causeway most often but they’re usually on the west end of the seven-mile-long causeway, so I typically find them just before sunrise and just before I get on the island when the light isn’t too bad.<\/p>\n
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1\/1000, f\/5.6, ISO 2500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n So five days ago I was surprised to find this coyote very soon after I got on the causeway, nearly 15 minutes before sunrise. ‘He’ was very intently hunting the tall grasses between us, which meant two things – he mostly ignored me, even though I was close and he was usually partially hidden by those same grasses.<\/p>\n I did the best I could with the light I had, especially when he…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/800, f\/5.6, ISO 2500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n eventually gave up hunting the grasses and started to trot west toward the island. Getting him sharp as he ran in this low light was a challenge.<\/p>\n To me it almost looks like the tip of his tail has been chopped off. That whitish grass stem at the end of his tail enhances the apparent illusion.<\/p>\n A couple of months ago I learned from two impeccably reliable sources that coyotes are now being “controlled” on the island (something I’ve long suspected). Knowing what that means, I’m even more appreciative than I used to be when I see coyotes on the island or along the causeway.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note: The motivation for controlling the island’s coyotes is to try to preserve the island’s namesake “antelope” (pronghorn). In one recent year, not a single pronghorn fawn survived. State Park staff have decidedly mixed feelings about it, as it flies in the face of their past mantra, “Let nature take its course”. It’s my understanding that the decision was made by DWR, not State Park staff.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When I visit Antelope Island I always try to arrive on the island proper a few minutes before sunrise. That has its advantages and disadvantages. (2 photos)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/coyote-1681-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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