7-26-08 - The Photo That Wasn't!

- Seasonably warm with a few showers about this morning on the mountain properties.

- I have seen a lot of deer this week...adults and fawns. The males still have antlers in velvet and we still see many fawns with the characteristic spots. The spots gradually fade and by the autumn, typically they are gone from the coat of the young deer. One fawn was in my driveway as darkness fell last evening....with mom watching from the nearby forest. I saw them again early this morning, so all must have been quite tranquil around my place last night.

- It has been a good season for most flora and fauna. The large Chestnut Oak just off my back deck has a good crop of acorns this year. I see young rabbits all over the place, especially at dusk.

- The greatest photo that was never taken. Tuesday morning, early AM, two adult Gray Foxes (Urocyon) trotted through my yard and hesitated in my driveway, just in front of my front porch. Alongside the adults were three young foxes, perhaps 5-7 weeks old. Though small, they had the distinct bushy tails, perky ears, and coloration of the adults. The family posed long enough for a photo (I had left the camera in the car) and then casually trotted up my driveway and disappeared into the long grass. Two items about this species you may find interesting....1) They, unlike the Red Fox, can climb trees....and do so often to avoid trouble. 2) Both mom and dad fox help care for the young, as was evidenced on this occasion. After about 4 months the youngsters will be on their own.

- Since I missed a great photo with the foxes (quite frustrating...as an opportunity such as this will likely never occur again), today we will settle for one more deer photo.....the doe featured hung around my front porch all morning, and was still nearby as I departed.