On the move

Maybe I am just lazy. Maybe I am impatient. Maybe I have an attention disorder. Maybe all of the above. I call this blog Drive-By Birding because that is what I do. I can spend an entire day driving around without being out of the vehicle for more than a few minutes at a time. And honestly, it usually takes something pretty special to make me stop and get out. Of course I have my favorite areas that I drive to with the intention of getting out to walk: the Magee Boardwalk, Sheldon, O'neill Woods, and Headlands Beach to name a few. But for the most part I like to keep moving, see what is in the area, photograph what I can and move on. If it wasn't for the GPS I would get lost a whole lot. I know most of the birding community like the Delorme Atlas as a way of finding their way, but I prefer the ease of pushing a few buttons and off I go, and unlike a human copilot, the little voice, "my little woman", that directs me is very rarely wrong. Occasionally she gets confused and has to "recalculate" and sometimes I just hit mute and disobey any direct orders and proceed on my way depending on what roads look like and what I see ahead of me.

The other day I decided to just drive. Not really a birding adventure, more of a need to listen to really loud music, break a few speed limits and feel, for the moment, like the white lines on the highway could lead me to a better frame of mind. This usually works for me, a few hours of rebellious escape, a case of Diet Coke, a few packs of smokes and a handful of snacks equal piece of mind. Well six hours later I was pretty far south and for the first time in a long time, I had no idea where I was. I had exited the highway somewhere south of Columbus and just kept driving westward when I noticed a flooded field full of ducks. It was late in the day and there were a lot of ducks, mallards, pintails, shovelers, ring-necks, gadwall, wigeon and course Canada geese. I parked off the road, got out and walked over to a small patch of phragmites near a power pole to partially conceal myself and set up the scope to get a better look at the gathering in the field. At the precise moment I focused on the first group of pintails every single bird in that field took to the air. I watched them all take flight in a wave across the field until the amber sky was full of ducks going in every direction, each making their own panicked sounds. That was when I looked back at the field and noticed seven rather good sized animals loping across the field where the ducks had been moments earlier. The wooded lot behind them must have been their cover but unfortunately I had missed the initial attack sequence.

Their tawny and gray fur glistened in the setting sunlight and their half open mouths gave way to sharp, shiny teeth. They were coyotes. I have seen them before in my travels. Pretty much always from the car while doing a drive-by. This was the first time I was out in the open with them. They knew I was there and I was instantly aware that the distance between me and them was a little closer than the distance between me and the car. They stood their ground for a moment. The lead canine looking directly at me while the others sniffed around and watched the cyclone of ducks and geese overhead. I suppose I should have been frightened. I guess I should have felt threatened. Of course all I could do was stare at them, at 20 yards away, in a state of awe and wonder. They looked soft but strong at the same time. They looked beautiful. And they looked big, especially this leader. I considered for a second trying to get my camera out of my pack but didn't really want to look away or make too much movement. The leader of the pack kept looking right at me as if waiting for me to make a move. I was remembering watching an Animal Planet show about animal attacks and what to do if presented with the unique opportunity of being approached by wild carnivores. Now what was I supposed to do? I couldn't really remember and kind of laughed at myself. My thought was to just wait it out and see what they did.

Three of them started to wander off back toward the wooded area behind them while two others began sniffing and moving in my direction. The leader and another just watched. Some of the ducks and geese were beginning to land in the far end of the field apparently satisfied that I was distracting their hunters. The two coyotes that were moving closer to me had cut the distance in half when the largest member began a slow walk towards me with his companion in tow. The next few seconds happened so fast I almost couldn't comprehend it. A flush of feathers and sharp, fast calls filled the thirty feet between me and the hunters. A half dozen Wilson's Snipe had been flushed from the soggy field between us where they apparently had the same 'wait it out' idea I had. The coyotes were distracted. Two of them leaped into the air trying to snatch the snipe in flight while the leader and the other ran and stopped short watching the birds swirl around. A part of me wanted to watch, but the larger part of me said it was time to move. I began to back away and then turned and moved quickly (okay, I ran like hell!) to the van. As soon as I got in I felt much better and scrambled to get my camera. The daylight was fading fast but maybe I could get a few quick shots of these awesome predators. By the time I was ready to go only the large leader and the smaller wingman were still there. They were standing right next to my scope but as I rolled down the window they began to move.

Content with my escape and safely in the vehicle I started the engine and watched as the remaining coyotes as they trotted into the field. Their retreat flushed a few more snipe and the ducks that had settled nervously farther afield. I pulled forward and got out to retrieve the scope while still watching the animals. The leader still watched me intently. With some silent sign, in unison all four of the coyotes lunged into the field back towards the woods. With a sigh, partially of relief and partially of regret, I packed up. I sat at the side of the road for a few minutes reliving what I had just witnessed. With a grin I thought that maybe drive-by birding really is the way to go. I pushed the Home button on the GPS and my little woman began directing me on my way.