I watch and photograph a red fox watching my cat in his catrun. When the fox hears my camera clicking, she stares at me a moment and then curls up on the hillside as if to nap. I hope she’s not dreaming of cats.
Suddenly, the fox sits and stares up the hill into the forest. Another fox is coming, perhaps interested in watching my cat, too, but he’s apparently not welcome to join us.
I wonder if they’re already aquainted and have a long history of greeting each other this way.
After a few seconds pushing match, the newcomer slinks away. And we, the first fox, my cat, and I, go back to watching each other while I make photographs of the fox.
After a few minutes, the fox leaves. I hope both foxes have gone searching for rodents, their natural diet.
Captured with a dslr and 100-400 telephoto zoom lens in cloud filtered afternoon sunlight. Cropped a bit to let you in on the details of each image.
fox
I looked up the hill to see a fox staring at my cat in his cat run. After the first capture the she looked away as if to hide her interest in him. But, the tongue licking the lips told the truth. I’m glad my cat is always safe inside our house or the cat run.
fox
Thank you to everyone who attended last weekend’s Holiday Extravaganza in Bailey. At the show, the red fox kits were the most popular images in my booth. I didn’t ask people to vote, but the images of the fox kits drew the most comments and purchases. Below is my top seller for the show. As the mother fox grooms, her baby’s expression seems to say ‘enough!’
My fox kit images were captured in late May and early June of 2007, thanks to near neighbors who called when the vixen and three kits emerged from under their deck.
What gets people talking in my booth? Here are some of the FAQs:
- St. Elmo, a mountain ghost town - Where is that?
- Hummingbirds - How did you get these photos of hummingbirds?
- Other Birds - What kind of bird is that?
- Lions Head - Is that Lone Rock?
- Fox kits - How did you get so close?
- General - What cameras do you use? Is it digital? Photoshopped?
I drink lots of water at the shows because I have to do a lot of talking.
Now today, as I prepare for this weekend’s show, should I print a large number of the same images that sold last weekend? Not necessarily. My experience has been that the favorite image often changes from one show to the next.
This Saturday the show is in Conifer at the high school.
The Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction is run entirely by community volunteers each year (since 1977!) and with net proceeds from the jury and booth fees going to mountain area schools, volunteer fire and rescue departments, and other local nonprofits. Nearly 90 artisans participating in this event donate 10% of their gross sales and an auction item.
Conifer Newcomers and Neighbors Holiday Boutique 2008
November 8
9AM to 4PM
Conifer High School
(my booth is #95 in the cafetorium)
fox, shows
I’m still sorting through all the photos I captured in June and now it’s July already. Here are some June captures I found in the files dumped hurriedly onto the computer during the past few weeks.
another tongue:
sipping current nectar:
baby nuthatch:
sparrow? what kind? Female redwing! Thanks, Drew!
western tanager:
red fox “tippy” at sunset:
Birds, fox, hummingbirds
Last spring I photographed a baby fox with a crooked face nicknamed Tippy by my neighbors. I saw Tippy several times throughout the summer and fall and then no more. Early yesterday morning the fox with the face you can’t mistake was running by my house. It paused for a moment while I photographed and then continued on its way.
fox
Standing on an old log at dusk, this red fox looks toward the setting sun one evening this week. My dog growls at the door when foxes are near so I know to grab the camera and hurry out to capture an image or two. The dog doesn’t understand why I won’t let him out to chase the invader away.
fox
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