Fortuitous moments

Every so often I have the privilege to witness something very cool. On the weekend, I was out for a snowshoe and I had stopped to have a look at some big horn sheep that were eating something on the other side of a frozen creek that I was following. There was a herd of maybe 10 of them. They did not seem to mind my presence.

A short while after I stopped there I caught a grey/brown streak out of the corner of my eye about 8 feet away. I didn't even have a chance to be startled before this streak went past me. It was a lone coyote on the hunt for some fresh sheep meat.

The sheep didn't have much time to see the coyote and he was moving incredibly fast. Once they did notice the entire heard set off at a run for some cliffs that were semi-close by. They barely made it. The coyote got to within 5 or 10 feet of them, but he was out classed.

It was only after the whole thing went down that I managed to fumble out my camera. My lens only went to 55mm so, I was not able to get the close view that I had in my minds eye, but that is the coyote circled in red. I could tell he was pissed that he didn't get some supper, he bit the tree next to him a few times while I watched.

A short distance up the creek bed I saw the sheep watching the coyote on the edge of this cliff.
This is what I actually came to view, but the light never seemed to favour me. There are a number of large frozen waterfalls along this canyon.

After a day of waiting for the light, I only had time for a quick tea before heading back down the canyon in the dark. I kept expecting to see the coyote streak past me in the dark, but it never happened.