Observations by cliffhouse

Seen from inside my house, passing through my native-landscaped wooded property. It paused near my patio, where chipmunks, squirrels, and birds are usually present. It saw me through the window, watched me for a minute, then trotted away through the woods. Very clearly a red fox.

In 2016 and 2017 we had frequent coyote sightings, of multiple individuals. In 2018 and 2019, no coyotes and this is at least the second fox sighting.

First sighting of the year (though I heard one a few days earlier), whereas last year sightings (and vocalizations) were more frequent.

We have a motion sensor doorbell along the 35 steps leading up to our front door. Something had been setting it off every night this week at the same time. Tonight I went out expecting to see a raccoon, but instead I saw a skinny-looking coyote trot across the intersection of Oak Way and Topping Rd, heading up Topping.

Initially saw the coyote from Locust Dr: it was near the railroad tracks moving toward Tally Ho Ln. I saw it again from Tally Ho Ln: after trotting east up the road a short distance, it climbed up alongside a house and continued toward uphill toward the village quarry ("Dudley Davis Quarry Park").

I think this was a different coyote than I recently saw at 1002 Oak Way in Shorewood Hills. This one was smaller.

Second sighting of coyote at our house (first in late April).

I was moving branches through our wooded lot when I saw a coyote moving through a densely vegetated area next door.

From inside my house an hour later, I heard a series of bark-howl vocalizations from nearby. It sounded like a coyote and unlike a dog.