[TARNATION !!!]

Let me pass along tonight's dog hike adventure. Like Keith, there be 'yotes. Like Charlie, no camera along. Birds and deer figure into it. When the sun reaches a certain angle, CHARLIE and KYRA start to think I have forgotten their needs. There is no letting up until they get loaded into the rolling kennel and head out for a good romp. I have a great spot along the creek that is close to home and still inside the city but isolated and still wild. We slogged through the snow to the creek and headed west into the setting sun. A large mature snowy owl sat atop a post surveying the area for an early evening snack. We were under scrutiny as we passed - just a hint of head movement; otherwise, an avian statue. As we progressed, the fresh snow cover revealed there would be birds - sharptail grouse to be specific. CHARLIE snuffled more snow than a coke addict and eventually popped out the only one that would flush. Lots of bulrush and russian olive cover. Next CHARLIE took a great interest in a patch of bulrush. I knew it would not be a bird, as she has her own body language that I sometimes interpret. From out of cover, a large 'yote hightailed it across the creek and beyond. A short distance later, a large whitetail doe skedaddled. Not far beyond that, we were in an area chuck full of bird tracks but nothing budged. Peripheral vision caught movement. A yearling doe and an even smaller one moved away from us, but not in a great rush. Something about the smaller one wasn't right. The two made it into a more open space and I couldn't believe my eyes. A young whitetail and a young coyote were on the move together. I watched them for about a minute and they just mosied along together until they made it to another patch of cover. I have to say, I have never seen that before. Not exactly the wolf lying down with the lamb but maybe a young 'yote with a yearling deer is a start. Really must keep the camera in hand. As we made it back to the rolling kennel, we were serenaded by a few 'yotes, one not quite so musically inclined but the others carried a nice tune.

Cheers,
Jack