Red-Tailed Fox: Turning on a Dime to Hunt Squirrels

Here is the second additional post showing a ‘run’ of the fox at the squirrels.
In this post, the squirrel uncharacteristically came hopping along and ended up within 12 feet of the fox.
Even though these photos are very poor (slightly out of focus and minimal lighting), I thought that you might enjoy the fox’s ability to turn on a dime to follow a very fast moving squirrel. I suggest that you click on the blog photos to get an enlarged view. In the third photo, the gray blur towards the bottom right corner is the squirrel making haste.
Once again, as seen in the last photo, the fox was unsuccessful.

Red-Tailed Fox Looks for a Squirrel Breakfast

Never fails, as soon as I post that the Colvin Run Habitat signature red-tailed fox has not been observed for some time, he returns.

I first observed him under the side dogwood tree at the end of what I assume was a run at the squirrels. He continued a trot into the side woods. Within five minutes, he had returned to his throne in the brush.


This red-tailed fox made two additional runs on the squirrels. After each, he trots through the side woods, then returns to his throne.

At times this morning, he was, as he often does, simply napping, waiting for more than one squirrel to show up and eat sunflower seeds under the bird feeders.
Oh yes, and as if to answer the last question in my last post – is he a she – at the end of his last squirrel run, he returned to one of the bushes near the water barrel, raised his leg, and marked his territory. Sorry, no photos of the marking (see this previous post of his marking).
A quick word on all of the photos. It was a gray, overcast, drizzling morning, light conditions were poor at best. The result is the photos are not as crisp as I would like. But, poor photos of this friend is better than no photos.

Colvin Run Habitat Photo Archive

Interested in finding a favorite photo in the Colvin Run Habitat Blog? Look no further than the right-side column and click on this photo of the Colvin Run Habitat signature red-tailed fox and other friends. When you click on the fox and his friends, you'll be taken to Google's Picasa Web Albums where you will find all of the photos published since December 6, 2006. The earlier photos will be added soon. Just another feature to help you find photos and information within the Colvin Run Habitat Blog.
A quick update on this fox. As mentioned previously, he has been observed nearly once a week since Christmas. Except that he has not been seen for the last two weeks. Although, this is the den-ing season for the red-tailed fox. They mate during the winter, then begin creating a den (many times an old woodchuck burrow), and then birth the kits about 54 days later. Not exactly sure what the male's role is in creating the den, but he does provide food for the female who does not leave the den until the kits are ready to leave the den. And, the male does help raise the kits until they are ready to go on their own - typically 7 months after birth. So, perhaps our fox is off helping to prepare the den. Or, perhaps our male is actually a female.

American Goldfinch Shows Another Sign of Spring

Even as snow fell late on Friday afternoon, two addition signs of spring were clearly visible in the Colvin Run Habitat.
The male American goldfinch is clearly beginning to show his summer, bright yellow feathers. The first photo shows one of the Male goldfinches perched in the dogwood tree, whose increasing red and full buds and shoots are the second sign of spring.
The second photo shows one of the males with several females, who will remain olive throughout the summer, with a house finch in the background.

White-Tailed Deer Looking for Spring Grass

The family of three white-tailed deer was seen in the Colvin Run Habitat for the first time in a little over a month. Mom and her two young ones, who are now a year old, were walking very slowly, scouring the leaves on the ground for some food. It always surprises me that they do not eat the sunflower seeds on the ground under the bird feeders. Although in the last two weeks, there has been some animal digging through the seeds as I spot fresh holes nearly every morning.

The family of three appears to have survived the winter. Their coats seem in good shape. In each of the three photos, there is one sign of spring – green grass is clearly growing – a sign that these deer will soon have a new supply of food. In fact, it is likely, that this new grass is why the deer are scouring the ground.

The first photo shows mom with the two young ones, who clearly continue to be differentiated by size. The second photo shows mom; the third photo shows the smaller of the two young. As always, they clearly see and hear me, but pay me little attention and do not even raise their white tails as an alarm.

As I reported on February 10, I believe that the dad was a victim of road kill in early December. With his rack, he was quite distinguished. The road kill was within a mile of the Habitat and from my observations was nearly identical to the photographed dad.

Here is a quick index to previous posts about this family of deer:
>Deer Family Strolling
>Dad Deer Brings Family
>The Daily Deer
>Deer Dining
>The Deer and the Fox
>White-tailed Deer in the White Snow

Sunday Morning Update: At 8 AM on the way to church and on our way out of the neighborhood, we had to stop the car to allow this deer family to cross. They crossed at a fast walk and then turned to look us over as we continued. Perhaps they, like the turtle, were headed to church, or perhaps they were hading to a familiar stand of pines to rest the day away.

Is Spring Springing?

Today is the Ides of March. The 15th. Halfway between 'March coming in like a lion' and 'leaving like a lamb.' So it was not a surprise that there are blooms on one of the trees. The first photo shows one of the maples 'blooming.' The surprise is that the first tree blooming is a maple (and not a Bradford pear) and that it is the only maple blooming. Guess we have a tree that just could not wait. My memory says that this lone maple is about 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule.
The morning of the Ides started out in the upper 60’s, so it was a great day to get some photos of the white-breasted nuthatch and the downy woodpecker. This female downy is noticeably larger than the other downies.
By dusk, the temperature had fallen by 20 degrees and it was raining. The forecast is for nearly three inches of rain with the last falling as measurable snow tomorrow night. On the Ides, March is a bit scysophrenic about being a lion or a lamb.

Updates: Red-Tailed Fox, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-Tailed Hawk

A quick update on the Colvin Run Habitat signature red-tailed fox. I last mentioned that I came face to face with him in the snow on Valentine’s Day. The fox has been observed once a week for the last four weekends – sorry no photos.

Also, the Cooper’s hawk was last seen in the Habitat three weeks ago during the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count.
Has the Cooper’s hawk started a northern migration? Has he been forced out by the red-shouldered hawk? Four recent posts about the pair of red-shouldered hawks. Post 1. Post 2. Post 3. Post 4.

The red-tailed hawk was observed today flying about the Colvin Run Habitat.