Trying to get caught up here at Lifeintrigued.  After the huge outputs of the previous months, this one is off to a particularly slow start.  Part of this is due to focusing on bird processing over the last couple of months and not a lot of other image topics.  I have a ton of those shots ready to go to the show, but it is a tad rude to slight all those readers out there that prefer a little more variety in their blog topics.  This translates into digging into the backlog to find appropriate topics followed by the mandatory time in the digital darkroom.  If anything, this has forced me to get on the ball with the Yellowstone pictures from May 2013.  Yeah, yeah, trust me I am sufficiently shamed but comforting to know I have a huge backlog in the tin in case my brother starts getting to close to my bird count!

Today’s featured animal is one that isn’t on my favorites list.

There is no love in these parts for the Coyote especially if you have three poodles that don’t understand just how fragile (and tasty) they are compared to their fellow Genus Canis members. I actually thought that Coyotes descended directly from the Gray Wolf similar to our domestic dogs, but a little research – scratch that, a lot of time researching on the web proved me wrong – they are of the same Genus, but Wolves are of Canis lupus where Coyotes are of Canis latrans.  Regardless, if they show up at our door… they go by the word Dead.  However, out in Yellowstone I’m in their backyard and they deserve my respect.  Note, you may recognize the shot above as the one that got blanked out during the UB competition (link here) – a shame since I still really like it.

Hit the jump to see a few more pictures of this Coyote

This particular specimen caught us by surprise.  Previously we had spent time shooting the crap out of a pair of Ospreys that had nested not too far off the road in an old dead tree.  Those shots will eventually make their way here as well (not a new check since I actually have a lot of that bird now).  The female was sitting on the nest keeping a keen eye out for troublemakers.  Her mate was also guarding the nest but would disappear for a bit and return with a fish or some other food for her to munch on.  This is when I realized that not all visitors to Yellowstone care about birds.  Can’t recall the number of times someone would see us, pull into the turnout and come charging out of their car to see what The Beast was pointed out.  “Is it a Bear, an Elk.. a Moose ??… where is it, show me!  Oh, no, we are taking pictures of that cool Osprey nest over there.  Oz Pees what?  Osprey.. that bird over there in the nest.”  Inevitably this is followed by a groan and an immediate return to the car in disgust.

Eventually we had taken our fill of shots and realization set in that nature was calling  ME.  The equipment was packed up and Linda drove us down to a trailhead a half mile or so down the road – thankfully it had a bathroom.  While we were standing there talking we noticed this Coyote off in the distance walking as calmly as could be TOWARD us.  Back to the car for the camera.  Shockingly, this Coyote continued walking in our direction – no hesitation, no real concern that someone was standing ahead with a large black object pointed directly at it and even less concern that there were now 5 or so humans pointing directly at it.

Just keep walking, just keep walking, just keep walking…where I was just keep shooting, just keep shooting, just keep shooting.  We could not have asked for better conditions to shoot wildlife in – beyond maybe a little bit more light – the tele was on The Beast which cost me some stops.

All in all I thoughts these shots came out really nice.  Would have been better if it was a Wolf but then again that would have been a little scary.  Don’t tell the poodles that a Coyote was the featured animal on today’s blog.  Me thinks that would result in some payback while we slept.

That’s all folks – need to go yell at the TV now – the Blues just let #@$#@%@# Minnesota score on them.