>Kelly and tweeters,
>I am curious of the lack of coyote sightings in Discovery. I don't know
>the status of the park to date, but can offer that while heading into do a
>point count in the forest along the North Loop trail area (near the
>cemetery) I flushed a coyote out and got a very good look at it. The only
>other sighting this season was in a suburban area development in Redmond
>(no houses yet, but clearing for development) I saw 4 coyote pups playing
>about 50 yards in front of me with no mother around. I don't see how a
>coyote could have gotten into Discovery in the last 9 years, but I'm open
>to any explanantions..


It surprises me, too. However, the data were collected only over a three
year period and based primarily on observation. Also, coyotes are highly
mobile, so their absence between 1988 and 1990 doesn't mean they'll be
absent forever. I would guess that attrition from car accidents is high for
urban coyotes, and immigration into parks is the main source of most park
populations (rather than breeding within the park). Discovery Park, much
more than Carkeek Park, is hard to get to for a coyote. Unless it swims
(which is certainly possible), a coyote has to cross I-5 and Aurora Ave on
very high traffic volume segments and cross the densely urban Queen Anne
neighborhood and the highly industrial 15 Ave W corridor. The closest
approach by water is accross the ship canal from Ballard, not exactly a
pastoral neighborhood.

Your sightings indicates that at least one of them made it!

Kelly Cassidy

>"Birds don't read bird books. (That's why they are seen doing things they
>are not supposed to do)." -Mary Wood

And neither do coyotes.