"BRIDY"

Coyote - 4 Photos

The start to my Wednesday morning: -

Got up, looked at the weather forecast, which said current weather "partly cloudy". Opened the blinds & it was very overcast & snowing.

So swore under my breath, looked to the left which is a green space (now white, of course), and up the path came two young coyotes.

You could tell from the very long legs & seemingly oversized bodies, they were probably born Spring 2024, out looking for breakfast.

First thought, camera downstairs. Ran downstairs, grabbed the camera. Briefly thought to try from the porch outside. Hmmm - in my pajamas & it's -34 degrees Celsius outside with the wind chill & snowing. Probably not the best idea, particularly with the neighbours. 

So ran back upstairs, went to the bathroom window & there were the two coyotes standing near the fence line, one had already moved close to the road but I managed to grab some quick photos of "her sibling" (Photo #1 through Photo #4 - the slow turn). 

This youngster looks like she put on a much older sibling's oversized overcoat this morning.

When I moved into my house over 20 years ago, the community was a new build, close to the edge of the city limits. And almost every night when I went to bed, I would be serenaded by the song of the nearby coyotes, something I hear only very occasionally now.

So welcome home & please be safe. (The pair were very cautious of waiting for the traffic to clear when navigating the road. Luckily the area is near a school/playground zone, with very few people walking due to the cold weather.)

I named her "Bridy". Probably will never recognize her again, even if I spot another local coyote. But Bridy is a girl's name with Irish roots & means "power", "strength", "virtue" and my favourite "the exalted one".

And for all those cat owners out there in Calgary, where cats are required to be licensed & kept within their home & backyards, beware. There have been numerous occasions (sometimes when the weather was equally foul) where there has been a cat wandering into my backyard, with a collar & well fed. Definitely not a stray. For any cats allowed to experience their wild side (albeit briefly), they may not be returning home. :(

PHOTO #1

PHOTO #2

PHOTO #3

PHOTO #4