Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Fox!

This morning we watched a fox out in the middle of the golf course.  Probably the best look at a fox we've ever had.  It was a long way away, but I used my Nikon with the 200 mm zoom, and was later able to crop the pictures dramatically, giving a good view of the fox.  Looked healthy too.

Can you spot it, right in the middle of the picture but looking away from us and crouched down, possibly eating something? It stayed there for several minutes.


Mrs. F.G. had actually spotted another fox along the edge of the trees, which I just glimpsed as it disappeared in the ravine.  This is a second one, suggesting to us that there's a pair with a den nearby.

It started walking west, perhaps seeking meadow voles in the long grass and weeds.

For a moment it glanced to the south, giving me my best picture.

Then it just sat down again.  We were enjoying watching it and it appeared to be enjoying the sun (even though it's really cold out there!)

But then it turned to go, just glancing back once.

It headed down for the ravine, not apparently disturbed by anything.

And it only stopped once behind the maple tree, before disappearing down toward the ravine.

Foxes are among the most adaptable of creatures, living in the urban environment quite comfortably, though their diet may shift towards junk food!  Here the golf course back onto countryside fields and two woodlots.  Through Meaford runs the steep slope of the ancient glacial Lake Nipissing shoreline, and the relatively wild valley of the Bighead River comes right into town.  So it's not surprising to see foxes living here successfully.  I just hope we see them more often!



19 comments:

  1. Great sighting. Hope you see them often!

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  2. They are some great shots. The first photo was a little hard to visualize any fox but then it got a whole lot better.

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  3. If it's a breeding pair, they'll either soon have pups or they do already. Feeding pups is a full time job for them, so you may well see them more often as they search for food for the little ones.

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  4. We see foxes quite frequently, but usually outside photographic range. We no longer consider it unusual.

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  5. Great photos. We haven't seen a fox in awhile, though we know they are still around. They used to enjoy visiting my compost pit. Years ago two of them would appear about supper hour and sit on one of the big boulders and wait for me to bring out whatever offering was getting dumped that day.

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  6. A privilege to watch those little beauties! Sadly one unfortunate I saw outside my window early this past winter was horribly afflicted with mange. I saw it only once and doubt it would have survived for long. Your's look fat and healthy. Wonderful! Sure hope you get to see the pups when they emerge! Is there anything cuter? I think not!

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  7. Foxes are such beautiful creatures. You were fortunate to get so many shots of him or her.

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  8. He re3minds me of our ginger cats with those bushy tails, he seems quite at home close to any houses, or streets, hope they manage to stay safe and have some cubs to show off later on.

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  9. It certainly has a nice thick coat! He/she looks very healthy.

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  10. They're such beautiful animals. Wonderful shots.

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  11. Good pics of a fox that looks to be in good shape and has a magnificent tail. The only fox that I saw in cottage country looked rather bedraggled.

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  12. That's a great series of Fox photos. Amazing what one can do when one has the right camera gear and knows how to use it. Good stuff:))

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  13. How cool! Looks like the fox was posing for you.

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  14. We get a lot of foxes in London. I often used to see one asleep in the the sun in our back garden and in the past I have come nose to nose with one when trying to leave the house. They are a lot bigger than you think! Your Fox looks very healthy. He has a beautiful brush. Sadly many urban foxes are skinny and mangy. Perhaps the fox population is too large and despite some town dwellers putting out dog food (even with added anti mange medication) there isn’t enough food to go around.

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  15. What a beautiful creature! That tail is amazing, and you certainly got some great shots. Thanks for sharing them and I hope you see him again. :-)

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  16. what a great sighting for you, it looks like a beauty!! and my what a large tail you have mr. fox!!!

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  17. Nice photos! If there is a den nearby there will likely be kits this spring. Some folks I knew here in the city had a den just off the main highway and they got to watch most of the pups grow up.

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