Coyote helps students fill out site survey forms

Right on cue, a coyote strolled across a trail this morning.

The ninth-graders participating in Baytown Nature Center's Back to the Bay program were on a bridge filling out their site survey forms.

They were at the bottom of the page putting check marks next to fish, birds, insects.

Then the students looked around for wildlife.

Holly, our leader, was saying that meant coyotes, bobcats, opossums when a student pointed toward a coyote. It was about 50 yards away and had stopped to glance our way before ducking away.

That was an extra cool moment on this cloudy 50-degree day.

Later the students put on waders to pull a seine. The big catches were a hermit crab, grass shrimp and  little blue crabs.

The teacher promised that anyone who caught a fish with the cast nets could skip the next test. They tried valiantly but only came up with some comb jelly.

The teacher agreed to add five points to their test scores for comb jelly catches.

Coyote and raccoon smile for night camera

There are coyotes in the brushy area behind our house.

Neighbors have talked about missing cats and trapping the animals.

A couple of days ago a coyote was peeking out of the brush line watching our little dog bark at it. Sometimes a coyote wanders into the mowed easement. But that is a rare sight.

Occasionally at night it sounds like there are lots of coyotes out there howling.

There are couple of animal trails through the brush. I set up the camera near a clearing and tossed out some old tortillas as an enticement to stop.

A coyote showed up after nightfall. A couple of raccoons came through later, and raccoons reappeared around 4 a.m.

Morning encounter with a coyote

Spotted about 11 a.m. on a sunny September day.

You never know what you will see on the trails at Baytown Nature Center.

Last week -- before the rains -- I saw this coyote as I was leaving. I didn't get out of the car to snap these photos.

When I stopped the car to take a photo, the coyote turned around to avoid me but stayed on the road.

Earlier this month our dog went crazy when she saw a coyote trotting along the brush line behind our house.

Some land on the other side of the highway is being cleared, and I wonder of some of the wildlife is finding its way to our little strip along Slap Out Gully.

I am glad this coyote was not so wily

 I heard the animal coming through the brush and look around to see a coyote face looking up at me. I froze, and it took off.

"Did you get a picture?" the housemate asked.

No, it happened too fast.

Downed trees block my old path to the gully.

There is a sliver of wildness behind our house. At one time I had a path to the gully so I could tease the fish and crabs, scout for turtles and watch for snakes. I could even put in the kayak when the tide was high.

Now it is overgrown. A paradise for the wildlife, I guess.

I tramped back there shortly after dawn because I would like to reclaim a piece for me. It is a mess and kind of scary. It feels as if I could get lost although I know if I walk 100 feet, I will be out of the trees.

We often hear coyotes at night. The yips and howls sound like a big pack, but there is not much space back there.

I didn't expect to see a coyote after daylight. I went out early to beat the heat. Near the water's edge, something ducking into a hole caught my attention. Then I heard the brush rattling from the other side of the tiny hill I claimed for a view.

This coyote was not very wily. It came within 10 feet of me.

We locked eyes for a second.

Then the coyote was gone. -- Lana b