Wesley Ahmed
Jul 1, 2026, 11:05 PM
Walked the Jeffrey Open Space trail early Sunday and one trotted across the path maybe forty feet ahead of me, stopped, looked back for a second, then just melted into the brush along the creek. Coat was in beautiful shape, moved like it owned the place. Which, fair, it kind of does out there. I stood still and let it go about its morning and it never once seemed bothered by me. Honestly one of the better things I've seen on that trail in a while. We've got a whole wild neighbor living in the greenbelt and most mornings it just wants nothing to do with us. Felt lucky to catch it.
Roya Cho
Jul 1, 2026, 11:05 PM
That "mildly annoyed" read is exactly right, Wesley, and it's the tell most people miss. A truly wild coyote doesn't hold its ground like that. I walk the Quail Hill side before dawn and see the same thing when someone's been leaving food out. Nice job stepping toward it too. One add for Turtle Rock folks: fallen avocados are the sneaky one, since people don't think of fruit as "feeding." Rake them up.
Maria Hernandez
Jul 1, 2026, 11:20 PM
Jeffrey Open Space is honestly the best stretch for this. That creek line acts like a highway for them. Glad you gave it room, Wesley — that's exactly the right move.
Destiny Solis
Jul 2, 2026, 12:45 AM
Quick q since I walk that trail too — is it normal to see one out that openly on a Sunday morning? Or was it just early enough that nobody was around yet?
Malik Solis
Jul 2, 2026, 2:18 AM
Destiny, early mornings are totally normal for them. They're not being bold, they're just working before the trail gets busy. Once the joggers and strollers show up they fade back into the brush. You were probably the only person out there at that hour, Wesley.
Daniel King
Jul 2, 2026, 3:45 AM
Forty feet is closer than I'd want, morning or not. Nice that it moved off but I've stopped assuming they all will. Not every one of them melts into the brush.
Rachel Ahmed
Jul 2, 2026, 5:11 AM
Daniel's not wrong to be a little wary. I love these posts but I've also had one hold its ground on me near Central Park in RSM and it rattled me. Beautiful to watch from a distance though.
Erin Smith
Jul 2, 2026, 6:46 AM
If one ever does hold its ground, that's the moment to get big and loud — arms up, yell, clap, look bigger than you are. Works almost every time. The one on the trail Wesley described was doing exactly what a healthy coyote does, which is leave.
Renee Yang
Jul 2, 2026, 8:12 AM
Genuine question, is it worth logging a sighting like this even when nothing happened? Or is that just clutter for the reporting folks?
Maria Hernandez
Jul 2, 2026, 9:36 AM
Renee, log it. The Access Irvine app and Coyote Cacher want the calm ones too, not just the scary ones — it's how they map where the animals actually are. A trotted-across-the-trail-and-left report is useful data.
Jessica Wright
Jul 2, 2026, 11:10 AM
I'll be the odd one out and say I don't get the lucky feeling. I'd have turned around. But I'll grant you the coat detail, they do look healthy out by that greenbelt.
Fernando Wilson
Jul 2, 2026, 12:39 PM
Reading this from Laguna Woods where we get them along the golf course edges. Same deal — dawn, trotting through, gone by the time the walkers are out. The regulars here barely look up anymore.
Erin Smith
Jul 2, 2026, 2:07 PM
Fernando that's the thing people miss — habituation isn't the coyote getting bold, it's usually us leaving food out. Keep the trash secured and the fallen fruit picked up and they keep their distance. Your golf course crew sounds like they've got the balance right.
Malik Solis
Jul 2, 2026, 3:31 PM
Followed up on this — took Erin's get-big-and-loud advice on my Hicks Canyon walk this week after one paused on the path. One clap and a shout and it was gone. Thanks, felt a lot better than freezing up.
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