OK - good news............
Day #2 of the field study is complete. BOTH pups are alive and well.
I sat up in a blind at the complex watcheing an entry-exit point used by the Alpha family. I turned to my right to see Sue standing on a small hill top not more than 10 yards away from me. Looking at each other, I swung my video camera around to get her on disc. That scared her and she ran into the brush.
I went back to my truck and switched gears to my new Nikon D90. It's first real test in the field! Mounting a 70-300 VR zoom, I went back to the same location. Within a few minutes, Nessa shows up. BUT, time has allowed both pups to better grow into their true gender identities. Nessa is a Fred with early formation male parts to prove it. Of course, he took off in a flash and headed back to the den. He didn't want any part of that big, smelly, human thing. Sue stepped out to see what the commotion was and I got a shot of her, too.
Sue is the spittin' image of her mom, Cassie, in true desert coyote colors, gray with highlights. Fred looks just like his dad, Zeus, reddish hair with white and black highlights.
So, all is A-OK on the nature preserve front. I am soooo relieved.
Don
Zeus and Cassie, the Alpha parents, gave birth to a two-pup litter, both girls, Nessa and Sue. I last saw them prior to getting a cast on my leg so now I'm playing catch up since the cast is gone.
I'm getting reports that visitors are seeing just three coyotes together instead of four. Indications are that one of the sisters has died. If you are at the complex and see the coyotes traveling together, count them and let me know via my e-mail address: <!-- e --><a href="mailto:R2Rocker@aol.com">R2Rocker@aol.com</a><!-- e -->. Please include time and location.
Both girls look almost exactly alike. The exception is Nessa who has a dark patch on her upper right foreleg. Both would be five months old. At three months, both were very healthy with decent muscle structure and tone. They are living on a strictly meat diet. The pup I saw early Sunday morning is very spry, active and maintains her health profile. However, I saw only one pup and tracks indicate that a single pup follows alongside her parents.
Early Monday morning, I will be at the complex continuing my field survey. It doesn't look good at this point, though.
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Don