An Exciting Fox Treat, and More - UPDATE February 15, 2023

At 7 PM, what I have been looking for out the window for weeks was there—a big animal that was not scared. The fox looked at me and came up to the feeding spot outside my window like I wasn’t there. It sniffed for meat that wasn’t out yet. (click). Then I saw that it was the limping male red fox, and it was hardly limping. Good to see. I got up and went to the door. The fox came to the door and watched as I grabbed the only food handy—a package of four blueberry mini-muffins. He watched me open it. I opened the door, and he did no more than move back about four feet to watch as I tossed them into the snow. Without hesitation, he came toward me and took one down the stairs. A couple minutes later he confidently ran back up the stairs to grab two more of them and head up the driveway. We put out a couple freshly warmed pork chops cut into quarters, but it is now 40 minutes later and he is not back yet. I want him to feel thoroughly treated so he comes back a lot. Maybe he’ll be back during the night and be caught on the security camera. Whatever he does, he made my day.

Common redpoll

Goldfinch

Also out the window, new winter birds here were a few common redpolls (Acanthus flammea), of which a male with a flaming pink breast held still for the picture. Also present were a couple pine siskins (Spinus pinus) with their yellow-streaked wings, and a flock of their close cousins the American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) in winter plumage. One with a yellow shoulder patch that says male sat for the picture.

Pine siskin

It was good to see the limping fox doing well again. I’m still looking to see Bob Cat close-up and hopefully holding for a picture like the fox did.

Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center

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