— by Shelley C.
Mynah and I were out for our morning walk a few minutes before 6 this morning. We were walking south on 14th between 105th and 103rd. Mynah suddenly dropped into what I call her stalk. Then I saw it about 100 ft south of us, tall ears fully up, lanky legs ready to flee, completely aware of us. Then it scampered very quickly into a yard.
Canis latrans, how I knew ye in an earlier life, killing sheep and chickens on the farm in northern North Dakota. You were my bane, seemingly making our hardscrabble life even harder. We hunted and killed you in kind of a cathartic rage at your destruction, knowing full well we had no hope of reducing your numbers or the devastation wrought on our livestock. Yet now I stand in awe and wonder, seeing that little bit of wildness in our urban society where every thing is in its place or it’s pointed out with indignation.
Watch your pets like small dogs and cats, and your urban livestock like chickens and ducks. There is a skilled hunter in our midst.
Tips for living with coyotes: http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/coyotes.html
* Shelley posted this September 6th to the MyBallard Forum. I thought it of general enough interest to Crown Hill residents, and she graciously gave her permission to put here as well. Shelley is a 13-year Crown Hill resident. She lives in an old house with her dog Mynah.