Coyote

[from Joe Martin, ANC 4C Chair]

If you were up early this morning as I was, you would have had the opportunity to see a coyote walking down Varnum Street NW towards Grant Circle. I have publicized reports of seeing them around here, but this was my first sighting.

The coyote was gallantly walking in the middle of the street, coming down from the 300 block, heading west after crossing 4th Street NW. It stopped by the side of a home across Varnum, probably looking for their Christmas decorations. Then it wandered back and forth a little where Varnum meets Grant Circle before crossing into the Circle itself.

This took place at about 4:30am. Very cool for me. My fellow ANC Commissioner, Ron Bland, reports seeing coyote in his back yard on the 1600 block of Buchanan Street NW nightly.

You might want to keep Muffin inside overnight - especially if she's been de-clawed.

Update - Click here for a link to the Park Service's FAQs about coyotes in Rock Creek Park.

Comments

[Bill]

Thanks Kevin, I added the Park Service link to the original post as well.

[Kevin]

The NPS link below provides safety tips for dealing with our new neighbors along with a photo of a coyote taken in Rock Creek Park.

http://www.nps.gov/rocr/naturescience/coyotefaq.htm

[Kevin]

Add beavers in Rock Creek to the list.

[Joe Martin]

I have seen foxes close up. This was much larger. Coat looked light brown to golden.

[Joe Martin]

Absolutely not a fox. My windows were within 30 feet of the coyote, well lit on my street. After it crossed into Grant Circle, I went to my computer and looked at photos of coyote to verify what I saw. The ears stood up, busy, full tail. I had no doubts whatsoever. I also looked at the animal with binoculars. Check out Wikipedia's page on coyote. I know people who have seen them on the grounds of the Soldiers Home and on Rock Creek Church Road NW - always a night. The experience intrigued me. If coyote in Rock Creek Park are reproducing at their normal rate, we should by now have tens of coyotes in the Park. The National Park Service probably has a good handle on this. Last year the National Park Service reported two fox families living around the Lincoln Memorial.

I've seen possum on Varnum Street east of Grant Circle and racoons, turkey vultures on Rock Creek Road NW by Rock Creek Cemetery, deer families in the Cemetery, red falcons in the air above 4th and Varnum.

We are not alone.

[david]

do think it may have been a fox? was it a little red in color? there are many fox in petworth.

[Guy Mondo]

Man! I'm glad someone else has seen one. I've been seeing them on Military Road near Oregon Ave. for years but people think I'm nuts when I say it was a coyote and not a stray dog. According to the Park Service website there were at least 4 living in the park when I checked in 1996.