One of the little tricks birders learn fast is “always look where the birders are looking.” If you see birding-types in the field with their binos or spotting scopes intently trained on a bush or a tree, then it is a pretty safe bet they are looking at bird, and more than even odds they are looking at a bird you might also want to see. So you always, always stop and look.

Something similar happens among photographers at Bosque during peak visiting times like the Festival of the Cranes. If you see a car load of photographers out of their car along side the road and set up with cameras on tripods, then it is a pretty safe bet to pull up behind or ahead of them (not so close as to scare off whatever they are photographing, but not far enough off so you miss the action:) and get out and at least evaluate the situation.

That is how I found this Coyote, working the dyke on the other side of the water channel along the tour loop at Bosque. I was only soon enough and quick enough to get this one shot before he/she disappeared into the reeds on the other side…but still…I might have driven right by if not for that “look where the photographers are looking” trick.

Canon SX50HS. Program with auto iContrast and Shadow Fill. 1800mm equivalent field of view. f6.5 @ 1/640th @ ISO 800. Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness.