sole.r.'s photostream  

We were pleased to see this handsome coyote wandering in the snow by the house. Must have been very hungry because he was digging in the snow under the bird feeders and eating whatever seeds the birds were spilling over!

Coyotes were rarer before the 19th century as their natural check are grey wolves. With the extermination and eradication of wolves, the coyote population has fared very well and coyotes are now found all over North America.

Interesting fact: Coyotes are the best runners of the North American canids, and usually cruise at 25-30 mp/h (40-50 km/h).

Mathata Pride sisters and cub...a sight that takes my breath away.

50 years ago, there were 450,00 lions in the wild. Today numbers have plummeted to 22,000 and going down. A 95% population decline over 50 years is not exaclty an optimistic trend. Saving the last lions will require far more than hope.

www.defenders.org/newsroom/defenders_magazine/fall_2010/c...

animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats/

and wondering why these furry creatures follow the humans ordering them around. Don't they know it works the other way?

I never quite realized how raspy of a tongue woodpeckers have! This beautiful male is always around the feeder. Makes for a good model!

Note the whitish wing bar - males do not have it, it's an easy way to distinguish the sexes in this beautiful short tailed eagle.