red fox
February 21st, 2006This morning, a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) briskly trotted up the trail from the back of our farm and then crossed the backyard before disappearing into the pine plantation to the east. I frequently see fox tracks on the trails around the farm, and also in both the front and back yards. Occasionally, I see the fox around 9 or 10 in the evening — wandering around the yard checking underneath the spruce trees (we have a couple of Eastern Cottontail rabbits coming to our bird feeders, so this is probably part of the attraction for the fox). However, this is the first time I’ve seen the fox walking so close to the house in daylight. I guess it’s feeling comfortable enough about the yard to have made it part of its territory to patrol regardless of time of day. Unfortunately, my camera wasn’t handy at the time or I might have bagged a nice shot of a very nice looking individual.
Tags: Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes
Hi Bev! I was so pleased to read on the list-serv that you’ve taken up blogging.
We’ve had more canid activity in our yard this year than ever before–and as many as four rabbits at a time under the bird feeders (last year there was one). Do you think we’re seeing a population surge in both the rabbits and the coyotes and foxes in eastern Ontario this year?
Comment by Pamela — February 21, 2006 @ 11:43 pm
Hi Pamela!
Thanks. I did have a blog before (about 3 yrs), but it wasn’t too user friendly and I had so much trouble with spam posts that I took it down a couple of weeks ago. I like the format of these blogs much more and will probably enjoy using them. Regarding the canid and rabbit activity, yes, it may be that there’s been a population increase. I guess it would make sense that the two would be on a similar population cycle. We’re certainly seeing a lot of fox and coyote activity here and in many of the places where we hike. Also, the coyote pack that travels across our farm has been very active and vocal this winter. Perhaps the last few years of mild winters are having some effect on numbers.
Comment by Administrator — February 22, 2006 @ 12:41 am
This is great, Bev, but how you manage two (or more) blogs I can’t imagine.
Several years ago I was sitting out on the back deck and was astonished to see a red fox apparently enjoying the day watching me. I moved down the steps and a little closer, and he (or she) got up, moved a bit away, sat down, and watched me. I moved a little closer; he moved a little bit away, sat down, and watched me. We continued this game a half dozen cycles, and finally he sauntered off into the woods.
Of course it was in my mind that this might not be a healthy animal, but there was no sense of threat about the game we were playing.
Comment by wayne — February 25, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
(Wayne wrote: This is great, Bev, but how you manage two (or more) blogs I can’t imagine.)
Ha! Well, that part remains to be seen. However, I do keep field notes and have been thinking that they might be better off posted where the info could be of some use to someone, so I’ll give this a try.
Regarding unusually bold foxes… about 10 or so years ago, we also had a fox coming around our farm during summer months. It turned out that it was a female who was trying to find food for her young that were living in a den just a few hundred feet from our barn. One day, while filling a bushel basket of young grass to feed to our laying hens, I felt as though I was being watched, and sure enough, the fox was sitting just a few feet away, staring at me while I worked. It didn’t move away even after it knew it had been seen. I didn’t mind it coming around, although it did take the “familiarity” a bit too far by the end of summer — no doubt because it was becoming more desperate to find enough food for its growing young. One day, while I was sitting milking one of our goats, the fox ran in the barn door and grabbed a large female Muscovy duck by the neck and tore off across the field with it dragging behind. I expect her litter ate well that day!
Comment by bev — February 25, 2006 @ 1:22 pm
Bev - regarding the private journal aspect as opposed to the public entertainment function.
I’m always attuned to the latter, but there are times when I can’t think of something entertaining. About half the time I remember - hey Wayne - you were going to use this as a *journal*, right? That’s when my field notes, which encompass a lot of stuff, pop up, to the bewilderment of everyone expecting entertainment.
As for the fox, I had no idea they could be so bold, other than my own experience.
Comment by Wayne — March 2, 2006 @ 1:39 pm
Wayne - I’ve thought the same about the private journal vs. public entertainment function of blogs — especially in the case of a nature type of journal where observations can, at times, be few and probably not of interest to many. That’s partly why I decided to create the two separate blogs. This one may never attract much interest as it may seem too quiet at times, although in summer, my posts may be coming fast and furious (if I can keep up with things, that is). That’s okay though. For me, this journal will (hopefully) be a good way of motivating myself to write out my field notes instead of leaving them as hen scratches in a pocket notebook. Meanwhile, Burning Silo may be the place where I can reflect on things I see, or have seen and feel like talking about or showing to others. It might get a bit puzzling for others at times too though. Yesterday, I almost posted a short essay pertaining to a recollection that I just had about my brother and I having gnawed the heads off of the plaster bride and groom off my parents’ wedding cake when we found it in a box back when we were 2 and 4 years of age. Then I thought better of it. Probably scare everyone away! (My God! What kind of kids were they — baby beavers?!!) Anyhow, at this point, I’m just writing my way along without thinking much about where things will go. In truth, it doesn’t really matter. It’s often more interesting when things that just “happen”. -bev
Comment by bev — March 2, 2006 @ 4:30 pm