Here by the autumn creekside,
a stealthy fox emerges from cover
to prey upon a squirrel
that nimbly leaps away.
And here the next morning, back set to the sun, the fox bends to it again.
.
November 17, 2012
By yard and stream
Posted by Scott under Mammals | Tags: autumn, fall, little crum creek, nature, pennsylvania, red fox, Vulpes vulpes |[35] Comments
some little crum creek 
February 24, 2013 at 7:21 pm
This is just gorgeous. How you got the fox under cover, I will never know!
March 17, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Just sitting. Just waiting. Just there. Thanks, Monica!
December 31, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Now this was an encounter! Glad you had your camera!
January 3, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Me too! Since then, I’ve heard a fox cry at night but haven’t seen one.
December 3, 2012 at 4:01 pm
You have been quiet for a while. I trust you are safe and well?
December 4, 2012 at 11:50 am
Yes, Jen, all is well (“and all will be well, and every kind of thing will be well”). On LCC, critters & things seem to get a little quiet, and we bipeds seem a little busier, around this time of year. So I’ve slowed down a bit here on the blog and miss visiting all my other favorite pages, but this lull ought to to be temporary. Just waiting for the next little bug revelation. Thanks for checking in on me!
December 4, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Mr. Scooooooooooooooottt?!?!!?
EW EWWWWWWWWW Ew i think a bug, please come look and tell me what this gross spit brain thing is, they are alll over the tree place!
What the HE…uhm heck is this?!?!
December 8, 2012 at 8:17 am
Thank you for coming over to answer!
December 23, 2012 at 11:39 am
And thanks for sharing that mantis egg case. I’ve kept an eye out for one here but no luck. A friend has pointed one out nearby, but none yet for me on LCC.
December 6, 2012 at 6:21 pm
“Busy” is indeed the motto for this time of year, isn’t it? Happy to hear everything is going well – and I’ll look forward to hearing more from you soon. (with the temps we’ve had so far, the bugs are sure to be back soon)
November 20, 2012 at 12:45 am
I saw a red fox in Overbrook Farms last week, just milling about in a driveway at dusk. They seem to be integrating or at least adjusting to urban life here in Philly. In Morris park they screech at night and we can see them from our house as they come out of the park. Great post, love the suspense!
November 23, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Thanks, I read that foxes do quite well in urban environments and start behaving differently than their more wild counterparts. One of those differences is a diminished fear of humans whose refuse has become a food source for the foxes. I hope they’re not a nuisance!
November 19, 2012 at 8:44 pm
Oh that is so awesome! And perfect timing. The novel I’m writing right now has a fox in it. Totally adorable! 😀
November 19, 2012 at 10:15 pm
One sly character, I’d expect … or does your fox defy convention?
November 27, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Oh no, very sly this one. 😀
November 19, 2012 at 11:56 am
How beautiful! Love that last shot – such an innocent face.
November 19, 2012 at 10:18 pm
Ah, well, what mischief might lie behind an innocent visage!
November 18, 2012 at 7:17 am
Nice shots-foxes aren’t often seen around here, especially in daylight.
November 18, 2012 at 10:37 am
Thanks, Allen. The best chance of seeing foxes here is probably before sunrise. Late-night and early-rising neighbors have even reported them sitting on front porches. Another had one living under his shed. There is so much residential human activity stirring things up on each side of the creek that I’m not overly surprised to see fox or deer any time of day. But I see raccoons less often and opossums almost never.
November 17, 2012 at 10:40 pm
I loved your picture of the fox. How did you manage to avoid scaring the fox away before you took its picture?
November 17, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Thanks Carol. In the first pictures, it was just a matter of right place right time. The fox wandered into my area and I just had to keep still and watch. But in the last picture, I spotted the fox from a distance, made a circuitous route around the house, and stuck my arm and camera straight out from behind a lilac bush, snapping away. I don’t know how that didn’t scare it off. Maybe the fox just found my antics kind of curious.
November 17, 2012 at 7:40 pm
How long did you hold your breath on that series? Brings back our temporary fox family residents. Enjoyed!!
November 17, 2012 at 8:09 pm
Thanks! Yeah, I did wait awhile for this fox to come out in the open in those 2nd & 3rd pictures. Fortunately it had trotted right up in the vicinity where I was already standing taking things in. Then it was just watch, wait, and click away.
November 17, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Wonderful photos, Scott! As for your conversation with Dan, this fox isn’t keeping the mice in check. Maybe I will send Abe out there for a visit!
November 17, 2012 at 2:38 pm
Abe and all his friends — that would help! Thanks in advance …
November 17, 2012 at 11:28 am
Nice shots of both. Glad the squirrel got away.
November 17, 2012 at 11:35 am
Yes, you can picture the standoff: squirrel there on the side of the ash, and squirrels in surrounding trees chattering loudly, until the fox ambles away. Thanks, Patti.
November 17, 2012 at 11:19 am
Oh, wow – I think I can still count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve seen a fox in the wild.
November 17, 2012 at 11:41 am
They sure are elusive. But here where the homes back right up to their narrow stretch of suburban woodland, we have a good chance of getting a glimpse from time to time.
November 17, 2012 at 11:18 am
Foxes are so elusive — thanks for sharing your wonderful photos.
November 17, 2012 at 11:32 am
They have certainly eluded me — and then one day I happen upon a couple opportune moments that I’m happy to share. Glad you like them!
November 17, 2012 at 10:32 am
I love foxes, but haven’t been lucky enough to capture one with my camera. I would think squirrels are quick enough and alert enough to evade being killed by a fox most of the time. I’ve seen a very healthy looking fox hunting mice in our fields.
November 17, 2012 at 11:06 am
These are the first decent pictures I’ve gotten of a healthy looking fox. I haven’t seen one in a long time and just happened upon it on these two days. I think you’re right, squirrels are alert. They sound a pretty good alarm when there’s a fox around..
November 21, 2012 at 11:14 pm
He’s so beautiful!
November 23, 2012 at 12:55 pm
So true.