Most of these shots were taken with an unstabilized lens sitting on a poor tripod. Thus, the quality suffers.
For three springs in a row red fox chose the meadow outside my computer room window for their home. In 2006 I watched the furry family grow from late May til mid October when the kits dispersed and went out on their own. In 2007 I foolishly cut back some briars that were blocking my lens from seeing the den, and Mother Fox didn't appreciate it. She packed up her kits and left before I could get any printable photos. 2008 was a better year for my "foxography", however Mother Fox moved her kits around several times during the summer. At one point she moved them down the road into a culvert a little too close to the neighbor's chickens. When I drove by one morning and saw a dead chicken lying at the mouth of the culvert, I knew my furry friends were in trouble. The neighbor confessed to shooting at least one of them, and one was run over by a car.
(Incidentally, I asked the Michigan DNR about the legality of shooting a fox that kills your chickens. I was told that the only two animals that can be taken out of season for ANY reason are the racoon and the coyote. All other animals, including fox, may only be taken out by a licensed pest control company or a DNR officer.)
Awesome pictures, and pretty darn cool to have Mother Nature provide such access for you. Thanks for sharing!
Connie
21-Apr-2008 02:11
Sandy, these are truly phenomenal! It seems you could easily put these pictures onto a heavy cloth, pink the edges, and make a children's book of wildlife for Kyle and other's
to enjoy.