Motion Sensor Camera Films Creatures in Middlebury

During the early hours of a January morning, a family of coyotes strolled right through Middlebury resident Derrick Dumoulin's yard.

Thanks to a motion sensor camera, the nocturnal creatures were caught on film. The short, infrared video is attached to this article.

Dumoulin said his yard borders property owned by the Middlebury Land Trust.

"There is a tremendous amount of wildlife living within the borders of Middlebury," he said. "A testament to this is the healthy population of coyotes which many of us often hear and sometimes catch a glimpse of here in town."

Coyotes are a relatively recent addition to Connecticut's wildlife -- the first report of coyotes in the state was in the 1950s, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's fact sheet on coyotes.

"The coyote is one wildlife species that has adapted to human-disturbed environments and can thrive in close proximity to populated areas," the fact sheet stated.

A Coyote's Diet

A coyote's diet consists of mice, woodchucks, squirrels, rabbits, deer, some fruits, carrion, and when available, garbage, the fact sheet noted. Small livestock, poultry and small pets may also be preyed upon by coyotes.

'Family' Life

 Coyotes are monogamous animals, according to the state DEEP. The male and female typically stay together for several years.

The breeding season for coyotes in Connecticut is from January to March, the fact sheet noted.

Coyotes pups are born in spring, sometime in April to mid-May. An average size of a litter in Connecticut is seven pups.

In the fall or early winter, the family group of coyotes breaks up when the young pups leave the group, the fact sheet stated.

More information on coyotes can be found on the state DEEP website.

Have you encountered any wildlife in Connecticut and taken a photo? Send pictures to jaimie.cura@patch.com.