After Coyote Chase...Drink Up!

Early this morning one of the does and her fawn were at the birdbath. As I watched, the doe's demeanor changed as she stared intently down the hill. After a few minutes of this focused watching, her fawn left her side and ran off.

I went upstairs to get a better view of the area, and that's when I saw the coyote with silver coat nearly hidden in the golden grasses. Over several minutes other deer in the area stopped and all looked toward the coyote. The coyote moved behind a copse of oaks and I couldn't see what was happening. The doe continued slowly moving downhill and I lost sight of her too. 

I continued watching this tableau. Suddenly there was an explosion of movement as the coyote burst from behind the trees with the doe in close pursuit chasing it across the meadow. 

A few minutes later this group of does and fawns came to the birdbath to drink. They were very skittish, and you can see the two drinking from the birdbath have their ears back listening, while another doe is looking in a different direction with her ears forward. 

We often see deer in very quiet and calm poses, browsing or drinking alone or in groups. Watching that doe charge powerfully across the meadow, her front hooves almost landing on the coyote, gave me a new respect for these animals. It was an exciting morning on High Prairie!