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I thought I spotted a coyote in a field off Lower River Road, which was runs along the Columbia River between Lake Vancouver and the south end of the Ridgefield NWR. It turned out to be just a life-size sign that a farmer had put out in his field, perhaps to scare away geese.
This time of the year, you will never see nothing. You may not see a coyote, but you will see something. Aim for at least two hours to drive through the refuge two or three times. Go at either extreme of daylight hours. Try to avoid weekends, and don't let a light rain keep you away.
I thought I spotted a coyote in a field off Lower River Road, which was runs along the Columbia River between Lake Vancouver and the south end of the Ridgefield NWR. It turned out to be just a life-size sign that a famer had put out in his field, perhaps to scare away geese.
Thanks, Chad. I usually do three loops in 2.5 hours. I see the least on the first loop and it always seems like the last loop I'm ready to give up and then it happens. I usually go in the late afternoon. This one was late morning, and I was surprised to run into the coyotes.
Aim for at least two hours to drive through the refuge two or three times. Go at either extreme of daylight hours. Try to avoid weekends, and don't let a light rain keep you away.
I would definitely agree. Make a couple of laps. Typically my first lap is pretty quick. I don't want to be shooting a red wing blackbird on the front side of the loop while missing a flock of something amazing on the back side. So I go slow, but I tend to not stop unless I see something that's really worthwhile. Then, once I've got a feel for what's around that day, I go slower and say "OK, well that Heron is a nice shot, I'll work that for a bit". Of course they come and go randomly, so you can still miss stuff, but at least you get a better feel for things by the time you've been around it once.
The suggestion of visiting at dawn and dusk is also a good one. Wild animals are just that, wild, so they aren't really predictable. You never know what you'll see when... However, the early morning and late evening hours increase your chances of seeing something. Animals are generally less active mid day. Also, the light tends to be better too, and the crowds are often smaller, so there's more than one reason to pick the early or late hours if you get the chance.
by Janice L, on Flickr
