Did you know that a coyote can jump a 5' cement wall?

And I am not talking about a running head start, pole vault kind of thing.

No. From a total dead stand still they can just LEAP!!!

Now that these facts have sunk in, I will tell you that a 5' wall is not even a challenge

since they are known to be able to clear an 8' wall with ease!!

So you are thinking "why is she bringing this up?"

BECAUSE I HAVE A NIGHTLY (between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.) visitor

one particular canis latrans has been tripping my motion detector light

announcing his or her presence.

I will admit that the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention
the first night...before I knew what was OUT THERE

What would make him visit you are now wondering........

IT'S FIG SEASON!!

Evidently, it's not just every bird from hither and yon

showing up for the yearly

FIG FEAST!!

I stand in the dark room and peer out from behind the blinds and watch as he munches....

flits about and munches some more..

stopping for a bit and staring at the patio door where I am 'hiding'

creeping back beyond the light... staying in the shadows.

and when he tires of picking them up from the ground

he will do a little leap and pull them off the smaller fig trees.

Then, when his appetite is sated...and in a single bound..

up, up and away.

Now you know.





7 comments:

Claudia said...

Oh my goodness, what a sight you are seeing! Amazing and wonderful at the same time, I imagine. And a little scary.

xo
Claudia

Rella said...

yes...yes...and YES!

xox Rella

Terri Gordon said...

Oh my Rella, we have them around here and I get so nervous letting our little dog out at night, wow wish you could get some pictures. Amazing. Hugs, Terri

ImagiMeri said...

Rella, I swear you and I must live in the same neighborhood if not the same house, except..........I don't have the coyote issue. I have a HUGE fig tree, too! I get about three crops a year from it, but right now it's just a huge mess. Birds are my nemisis and it's so frustrating because they eat just a little from those still on the tree and then there are all these half eaten carcasses hanging around. Those that they don't "half" eat fall to the ground and if I don't get out quick enough, they turn into "Fig Mush" on the ground. Then it's a safety hazard as it's all slippery and sticky........just a hot mess.

Now the coyotes I used to have when I lived in east Mesa in the 80's. Every morning, around 3 a.m. we had a pack just 2 or 3 houses away that would catch "breakfast" the whole pack would "yip, yip, yip" and eat. You could actually hear them tearing something apart, very surreal and creepy. So you see Rella, we must be neighbors........LOL

Hugs,
Meri

Joanne Huffman said...

interesting information, but not sure I like knowing it. Hey, I'm at AU - is there a chance I'll see you?

Caterina Giglio said...

figs? who knew??? they regularly roam the pasture out back in packs and howl together when they kill...who know what?? skunks I hope!!!! and not kitties... smoochlets!!

Terri said...

Wow, that is amazing, what a thing to watch!

I am home now and hoping to catch up with you and others soon.

Hugs,
Terri