Who’s that coming up the path?

Friday (4/27), a group of crows were making an incredible racket back up in the woods towards the Outdoor Classrooms here at the Museum. They were on to something, an owl, maybe a hawk, and they were going at it with vigor. Something up the in the pines had the crows terribly upset and they wanted it gone, or at least they wanted to make its life miserable for a while.

I was up at the Sailboat Pond watching Exhibits Tech, Jerry put the final touches on the repair work being done on the pond’s interior walls. I decided to head off in the direction of the crows to see if I could spot what it was that had them in a such a tizzy.

As I turned the corner near the Take Off in Catch the Wind a small, long-legged canid came trotting up the path towards me. It was a fox!

This Gray Fox had come out of the service road which leads to the Outdoor Classrooms and was heading my way.

I assumed that the fox was heading towards the large mulberry tree which stands alongside the path midway between the fox and where I stood. The mulberries are ripe and some of them have fallen to the ground, easy pickins.

And what a handsome fox it is!

I’m not sure that the fox was aware of me, it was probably still thinking about those bothersome crows back in the woods, but it just kept coming up the path.

The fox crosses the path heading towards the mulberries.

Just as the fox neared the mulberry tree it must have realized that I was not a tree or post in the middle of the path ahead of it, but a person. I didn’t move, but perhaps an odor from me (don’t say it!) made the fox pause.

It’s here where the fox seems to have caught a wif of me.

A few seconds later the fox turned and struck out for the woods.

I’m outta here! How do you like my tail?

If I were to have a tail, I’d like to have one just like that fox!

8 responses to Who’s that coming up the path?

  1. Paula says:

    Great blog, Greg! And fantastic candid camera photos of a very beautiful, wily fox!

  2. Leslie says:

    Amazing pictures Ranger Greg! I think the fox was just hoping to make your blog. This will be good reference for visitors who think our wolves are foxes.

    • Greg Dodge says:

      Leslie, it may also help those who have trouble distinguishing red from gray fox. The reddish color on the neck, flanks, legs, and undertail sometimes confuse folks. Although Red Fox can be quite gray, it has a white tip on the tail.

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