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Wednesday 2 August 2017

Fox encounter

He sat on the pavement, near a bend in the road. 


 


We hoped he would move quickly as vehicles approached. He did. Off he went into the grass on the side of the road. 


 


My husband tapped on the side of the car and he approached. He expected food. Foxy was wary at first but I stayed by the car door as he approached. 


 


It took seconds for him to realize no food was forthcoming, just the clicking of the camera. 


 


Then he crossed the road. 


 


The red fox was multi-coloured, blond, orange, red, black and gray. The colours blended into each other except on his legs where he wore black tights. Foxy was thin but the fluffy fur hid his size depending on the view you had of him. His face was a study in symmetry, down to the individual hairs, such as the whiskers. This encounter was the closest we had ever been to a fox.


 


We watched as he checked us out several times before he finally walked away.


 

36 comments:

DJan said...

He is very thin. I hope he finds a good meal soon. A beautiful creature. Thanks for sharing, Marie. :-)

Celia said...

Wonder if he gets fed by those passing by, he seems so fearless. Hope he hasn't forgotten how to hunt.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Oh my gosh he is thin Marie! It must be pretty tough out there! Incroyable photos, you've captured the essence of the fox beautifully, those eyes, they've seen a lot!

Tabor said...

Great encounter. Our fox are extremely wary and since this is farm country, perhaps they have good reason to be.

Joanne Noragon said...

He's a beautiful animal.

Debbie said...

wow, what a beauty...you got some beautiful pictures!!!

Bill said...

What a beautiful looking fox. You got some incredible close up shots, Marie.

Barbara said...

So pretty. I hope he survives as his home becomes more encroached on each year.

Elephant's Child said...

He/she is very thin indeed. And beautiful. I hope he survives. And thrives.

Marie Smith said...

I was surprised when I saw how thin he was too, Jan. Such a beautiful animal.

Marie Smith said...

The wildlife biologists here tell us the foxes are opportunistic and will accept a meal if you offer. However, they are very capable of fending for themselves, Celia.

Marie Smith said...

The eyes are incredible, for sure, PDP.

Marie Smith said...

The foxes here live among us and aren't wary of people, Tabor.

Marie Smith said...

He was far prettier than some other foxes I've seen, Joanne.

Marie Smith said...

Thanks, Debbie. You would get great photos of the foxes here!

Marie Smith said...

They are not wary of people, Bill.

Marie Smith said...

Development is not as big a problem here like it is in many other places, Barbara.

Marie Smith said...

I've wondered what became of him, EC.

Blogoratti said...

Fox had that 'I've been tricked' look. A handsome little fella no doubt.

Marie Smith said...

He is a handsome one, B.

Catarina said...

Hi Marie,

Came from Blogoratti's blog where I saw your name.

That is quite a beautiful fox! You were very courageous. :)

Greetings

Anvilcloud said...

What a great encounter, but s/he certainly doesn't look overfed. Hard life out there.

Rick (Ratty) said...

That's wonderful. I would love to see a fox. I hear coyotes at night here sometimes, but I never see them either.

Marie Smith said...

The foxes co-exist nicely with people here, Catarina.

Marie Smith said...

She looked so thin, AC. You couldn't tell from the front because her fur was so fluffy.

Marie Smith said...

There are coyotes here too but I've never seen them either, Ratty.

Linda d said...

There is something so enchanting about an encounter with wildlife. Your's was fabulous. Great pictures of a beautiful being.

Marie Smith said...

Such a creature is a natural wonder for sure, Linda.

Ginnie Hart said...

Look at those eyes! You can see the "wildness" in them. But when I saw how skinny he looked, my heart broke for him. Life must be hard for some of these creatures but they must learn to survive on their own. God have mercy on them all.

The Furry Gnome said...

Great pictures!

Marie Smith said...

He is a survivor, Ginnie!

Marie Smith said...

Thanks, FG.

Cathy said...

I think I'm the only one who thinks that the fox is a pest - like a noxious weed it does so much damage it needs to be eradicated. Our Victorian government thinks so too. You might be interested in this link.
http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/pest-animals/a-z-of-pest-animals/red-fox
Cathy

Marie Smith said...

Foxes here are at the top of the food chain with coyotes. They are protected and people love them.

Down by the sea said...

Amazing photos he does look so thin. We have some that live close by. You do hear them in mating season and Tavi often finds their poo! Sarah x

Marie Smith said...

There are lots of foxes here, Sarah. People enjoy having them around.