From AJ, who followed experts’ advice:

Coyote sighting (Tuesday) morning at 9:08 am in our backyard at 9800 block of Marine View Drive. Very close to the house. This is our third sighting of what we think is the same coyote. First time in the morning, usually we see him in the evening. Based on info we’ve read on the blog we scared him off by banging on the window. Very beautiful creature; should have taken a picture before we scared him off.

That advice, and more, is in the state Fish and Wildlife Department’s “Coexisting with Coyotes” info.

A coyote tale different from the type we usually hear, from Lizzie Jackson at Nature Consortium:

Nature Consortium staff and volunteers saw two little coyote pups today during our work party in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. They were very curious about us and after we all looked at each other for a little while we remembered that we should try to scare them off so we clapped our hands and yelled and they turned around and trotted back in the forest. Unfortunately we didn’t get any pictures but thought we would share anyway.

That’s EXACTLY what is advised in the “coexisting with coyotes” literature – to keep people, pets, and coyotes all separated, they have to maintain a wariness of humans. The advice is all here. (WSB coyote coverage, including photos now and then, is all archived here, newest to oldest.)

Jen Izutsu shared the photo of a coyote spotted near Longfellow Creek this morning – having a snake for breakfast. Snakes are part of the long list of potential food sources listed for coyotes on the state’s “Living With Wildlife: Coexisting With Coyotes” page, though we tend to hear more often about cats. And we’ll remind you that experts urge you to startle and scare coyotes when you are near them – to ensure we can keep our mutual distance, which they say is better for all concerned.

Our most recent two coyote sightings include a reminder for pet owners – it’s in a report this morning from DRS:

A rather bold coyote tried to eat my bunny (last night) at our home on 26th by Cottage Grove Park. Thanks to our awesome neighbors she’s safe and sound. Unfortunately no pic of the pesky canine but he/she was about the size of a border collie (just skinnier and more coyoteish, obviously). If you have pets that stay outside, make sure their pens are secure enough to withstand a frontal attack.

And Anya posted this one early Monday to the WSB Facebook wall:

Another coyote sighting. Between 36th/37th and Hudson. He was huge (at least 4 1/2 feet long, a good 2 feet tall and a very long bushy tail. His ears were perked straight up and he was a golden with dark brown down his spine into his tail); he looked like he was scrounging for food but he took me by surprise. I’ve lived in this house my whole life (22 years) and parents for a year before I came along and we’ve never seen a coyote around here.

Remember, while they’re apparently everywhere, the less seen, the better, because it means less entanglement between them, pets, and people – and if you do see one, do your best to scare it off, as advised in the “coexisting with coyotes” advice from wildlife authorities.

From Beth:

I saw a VERY big coyote outside my window at 9:20 am on the 3600 block of 47th Ave SW [map]. The animal was in stalking pose and appeared to be alone. He was heading west out of my yard. I emailed my direct neighbors to get their animals inside but wanted everyone else to be aware as well.

Coyotes may be old news to some, but not to all, and that’s why we keep publishing sighting reports when we receive them. If you’ve never seen one, scroll through our archive of reports – last one included a very clear photo.

In case you still haven’t seen a coyote, or haven’t seen one close up, this is the clearest photo we’ve received in a while – thank you to Mark for sharing it after a sighting in Fauntleroy Park, where he says you hear them howl at night and/or when a siren goes by. Also an opportunity to remind you that “coexisting with coyotes” doesn’t mean just standing around and watching them; as many have pointed out in recent discussions, it means taking steps to ensure that they remain wary of humans – because if they don’t, it’s not good for them or us. At the very basic level, that means not leaving food out for them, but it also means if you’re close to one, scare it away – throw rocks, wave your arms, etc. Read this for more advice.

Two coyote sightings have come in over the past five days – first one, the coyote Mary saw last night on Providence Mount St. Vincent property:

This isn’t a very good photo … but we spent about 20 minutes watching a coyote who was hanging around the parking lot at Providence Mt. St. V. near Hudson and 36th. S/he definitely spotted us — we were walking our two mastiffs who completely were clueless about the coyote — and s/he kept a close watch on us from a small hill as we observed from across the street. I’ve been wanting to see one since we moved over here — behind a fence and across the street suits me fine! And since our dogs are bigger than it was, we weren’t worried about that. This was about a block from where Karen Berge of the Hansen View Blockwatch reported a coyote in a staredown with a cat.

Ahead, a report earlier in the week from Linda in the Alki area, and coverage of a coyote clash in Colorado (in a link shared by a WSB’er):Read More

The latest coyote sighting out of the WSB inbox raises the issue of how to react if you have a close encounter with one. After our last photo-accompanied coyote report, one reader chastised us for the lighthearted headline – as if you would want to play with a coyote. She reminded us that for their safety and ours, you want to do your best to scare them off. That point was raised again by Shawn‘s encounter, which resulted in these photos and note:

I took these pics with my cell phone yesterday around 4 pm while walking my dog, Charlie. The coyote was so close my hands were shaking! It seemed curious, but not threatening. Charlie’s a big dog, though, and does not look like a snack, except maybe to a bear or a whale. It did bark or yip once, which was kind of cool. The coyote followed us for at least a block and was close enough to touch. (I didn’t) These pics were taken on a populated street in High Point; the one that backs up to the cemetery.

As advised in the “coexisting with coyotes” link we often share: “If a coyote ever approaches too closely, pick up small children immediately and act aggressively toward the animal. Wave your arms, throw stones, and shout at the coyote. If necessary, make yourself appear larger by standing up (if sitting) or stepping up onto a rock, stump, or stair. The idea is to convince the coyote that you are not prey, but a potential danger.”

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Tom shared that photo with a coyote-sighting report from a little more than an hour ago – one of two we’ve received this morning, which we’re publishing along with two more from recent days. First, Tom’s note accompanying the photo:

8:40 AM this morning … A young coyote was on our deck on 21st Ave SW near Holly St. He was not afraid, we walked right up to the window with the camera. He wanted to play, tried several times to pick up this blue toy.

A short time earlier, from the Admiral District, Caylyn had a double sighting:

I live on 44th between Hinds and Hanford and just ran outside because I thought I
saw two dogs running down the middle of the street. I brought out my dog treats to see if I could call to them. To my surprise they were very big coyotes. Yellowish brown in color and looked like small German Shepherds. Please, people with children, gardening and walking dogs, be careful in this area.

The other 2 sightings, ahead:Read More

We received two reports of coyote sightings about one hour and three blocks apart on Saturday morning. Karen in Hansen View reports her neighbor saw a “cat and coyote in a staredown” around 8 am at 36th/Dawson; a resident tried to scare the coyote away “but he didn’t seem to be afraid,” so the resident went on to “follow the cat down the street,” and its owners came out to get it. Then around 9 am, about three blocks north of there, Chris in the 4700 block of 37th SW saw a coyote in his backyard. Time to haul out the “coexisting with coyotes” advice from the state – which also reminds us, this is birth season.

Two coyote sightings to share – one somewhat pastoral, one less so. First, from Andrea, out of the WSB inbox this morning:

At 7:40 am I spotted a coyote briefly in our neighborhood. The coyote appeared between two houses just across the street from us and surveyed the scene for about 30-45 seconds before turning around and returning to his/her original spot. We’re near 17th Ave SW & SW Myrtle in the Puget Ridge/Delridge area. It made breakfast much more interesting!

Ahead – Kurt shared the story of a coyote that was having its own breakfast (maybe lunch? dinner?) last week – a bit graphic so it’s after the jump:Read More

Two coyote reports tonight – the first one, with photos, from Jennifer in Fauntlee Hills:

Just wanted to let your readers know to keep small pets and kids indoors tonight!

Two big coyotes were in our backyard around 5:30. They were really aware of us watching them and stayed, watching us in return for a good 5 minutes or so before running off to a neighbor’s.

No photos, but a graphic story from Candice, after the jump:Read More

Two reports in the past day and a half, both ahead:Read More

Latest coyote-sighting report is from Val:

Thanks to your great coverage, I do know we have coyotes in WSeattle, but this is the first time I’ve seen one here myself. I live at the end of Webster off of Delridge and I got to my patio this morning just in time to see a coyote departing, loping along the property line. Makes me glad my cat’s always been an indoor cat! Just thought I’d pass the sighting along.

Previous sightings shared with us are archived here, newest to oldest (many with photos, even a little video here and there). Along with the usual “coexisting with coyotes” info, we decided to check online to see the latest coyote-related news from, well, anywhere, to see how the rest of the country is dealing with them. Not coexisting-mindedly, it seems; in Texas, there’s legislation for aerial hunting; in Rhode Island, a town is hiring a hunter to kill “rogue” coyotes.

Well, the story could have started that way, though Jesse headed the e-mail sent early today “Crazy late-night wildlife” – read on:Read More

To close the night, more wildlife photos shared by WSB’ers. First, on the heels – or paws – of Linda‘s coyote closeups, Mike in Gatewood caught three on camera this morning (take a very close look at the second photo). He wrote:

WSB, we love our coyotes. My wife and daughters have been watching them frolic in our backyard for the last half hour. Our cats were really scared at first, but they too have joined the wildlife viewing. One will occasionally walk away, but return. While we have had an occasional sighting before, we have never seen two at once, much less three. Happy viewing.

And for the second time today, we are graced by a photo from Machel Spence – this time a robin on still-snow-dotted branches:

Finally, an unusual photo from Lincoln Park – an unlucky Pacific Giant Octopus that washed up. We’re putting it after the jump because, while it’s not gory, you might find it disturbing:Read More

As another snow shower moves through the area (weather/commute updates coming up) – we have the most detailed coyote photos we ever recall receiving for WSB. Karen photographed this coyote at West Seattle Golf Course this morning.

We get a fair amount of coyote reports (THANK YOU!) but not many come with photos. Thanks to Amanda Teicher for snapping the one she spotted as she and her dog were headed out for a walk this morning at 17th and Brandon (map). Quite the tail on this one. And here’s the long view:

We share coyote reports not to generate hysteria but just to remind people that they live among us and that it’s important to take steps on your (and your pets’) behalf and theirs to keep them at a distance (as explained here). Our archived coyote coverage, newest to oldest, is here.

Three coyote sightings to share tonight – two in the same spot, so may well have been the same coyote – read on!Read More

Out of the WSB inbox early today, from C:

My husband and I live near the corner of 30th Ave SW and Brandon [map] in the Cottage Grove neighborhood. Being bordered by the Longfellow Creek Trail and Camp Long (along with a neighbor who leaves piles of food outside on the trash bins for wildlife)…I’m sure the coyotes have made themselves quite at home around here.

(Tuesday) I had my fourth sighting since November, but my first sighting while on foot. At 5pm I was walking our 90lb mastiff mix when I saw a coyote standing in the street on 29th, watching us head for the Longfellow Crk trailhead across from the Camp Long entrance.

I tried to scare it off up the hill, but it just backed off a bit. I decided to head down the trail anyways, got about 20 yards and the coyote was now flanking us in the bushes, coming within about 15 feet from us. Thoroughly pissed off and creeped out we turned around and went home.

Definitely not normal behavior for a wild coyote…and probably won’t lead to anything good.

Is someone going to have to get bit protecting their dog/cat or small child before they would get re-located?

We’ve included “coexisting with coyotes” links before – here’s “solving problems with coyotes.”

Two new coyote reports from the WSB inbox. This one came in late last night, from Derek:

Just a heads up. Out walking my two small dogs at 10:15 this evening and a coyote came trotting towards me down Morgan St and ran across California Ave down towards Fauntleroy. We both startled one another.

And received a few hours before that, from Karrie in North Delridge:

A neighbor on my block (25th Ave. SW between Brandon and Findlay) in Cottage Grove spotted 2 coyotes on our block last night and one on 21st up the hill from us. He sent an e-mail to neighbors on our block to encourage everyone to keep cats indoors.

Haven’t checked out the “coexisting with coyotes” advice lately (which includes tips on how to make sure they keep their distance)? Find it here. Meantime, our archived coyote-sighting reports, newest to oldest, are here.