Nature Where I Live: San Francisco: Coyote on the Parkway

Coyote's Close-up, Sunset Parkway

I was glad to put the cold wind at my back when I turned north on the Sunset Parkway this morning. In yesterday's warm sunshine I shot almost everything at ISO 80-100, whereas virtually of today's fog-shrouded shots were ISO 650 and up. The coyote portrait above was shot at ISO 1000.

I hadn't gone far when I spotted the anomaly about a block away, heading my way. Even at a glance it registered as a coyote, not a dog. I couldn't believe my luck as it made its way toward me instead of running away. It diverted off the sidewalk at one point to stalk something in the grass but never made a pounce. My luck continued when the coyote stopped right in front of me to eat something ... that only dogs eat. And dung beetles.

Or so I thought. Apparently coprophagia isn't all that uncommon.

After the coyote loped off, heading back the way I'd come, I continued toward the park, where I found another hunter -- an urban bobcat! Okay, I can dream, can't I?

I'm sure the apparently feral, uncollared, black cat would have run away from me, but he had zeroed in on something in the grass, probably a mouse. He looked back at me and resisted the temptation to run, then turned back toward the grass and almost immediately pounced, then carried his prey into dense cover.

I used to see feral cats in Golden Gate Park quite often before coyotes were a thing, but today's was the first I've seen there in a long time. I was also surprised this morning to encounter an orange feral cat in my neighborhood, another rare sighting. It stared at me without moving, but ran away as soon as I called out to it.

The 1200mm View

A hopeful stalk that didn't pan out.

Strolling Down the Parkway

Cautiously Skirting the Human

It looks like he's snarling, but he's just chewing his food.

Coyote Num-Nums

Coyote keeps his nose clean.

The coyote made short work of the windfall, then continued heading south.

The traffic light was just changing on Sunset Boulevard, so the cars in the background on Moraga Street were about to start moving. I was glad when the coyote crossed 36th Avenue to head east instead of continuing south across the traffic on Moraga. I was tempted to follow, but I figured it would either immediately lose me by going into the residential back yards, or let me tag along and take me far out of my way.

Black Cat on the Prowl

You can just make out that the cat has caught something with gray fur.

Bumblebee on Flannel Bush Flower

Chilean Rhubarb at Mallard Lake

Singing Yellow-rumped Warbler

Bathing Allen's Hummingbird

Latticed Stinkhorn

Chestnut-backed Chickadee With Grass Seed

I was surprised when some red-winged blackbirds flew out of the cattails and sailed across Elk Glen Lake to land near my feet and hunt for seeds.

It looks like these really are Chinese houses wildflowers, not toadflax. There was also some native phacelia doing well nearby, as well as some elegant clarkia that was in pretty bad shape. Strange but cool to see wildflowers in the park (that aren't California poppies, that is).

I hit the brakes on my bike when this red-shouldered hawk flew into a nearby tree near the Polo Field. Here, it hunkered down as it appeared to zero in on potential prey.