Last night, I had the bedroom windows open. I also had the blackout shades lifted, because Lisa is away and only Blue and I were in the bedroom. I love the twilight coming into the bedroom and gazing at the foothills in the distance.
Throughout the night I kept being awakened by this howl that actually sounded like something was being strangled. It was driving the local dogs in the area crazy, and had Blue growling most of the night. I was worried that something may be injured out there. I went to the window a few times but couldn’t spot anything in the new moon darkness.
I took a look around the back when I went out to feed Claire and Honey, but did not find anything, although Blue raced off into the darkness and returned a few minutes later with a good pant going. She has to be close to ten years old now, so while she’s still quite formidable,
She’s lost that first step in the sprint department. Haven’t we all.
When the sun rose, I went out to leave the mules their table service for the second breakfast, Blue took off again into the back area and the next thing I spot is a creature sprinting across the property with Blue on its tail. Luckily it was quicker than Blue and then easily leapt the western fence onto the neighbors property. Safely out of harm’s way, it turned back towards blue and let out that painful sounding howl.
I called Blue back in because I didn’t want her to decide to try and clear that fence in response to the red creature’s taunting.
As I was watching a frustrated Blue, I spotted the fox in the distance and tried to snap some photos, but its coat mixes into the high grass.
It’s blurry but if you can picture it, that’s its head and long neck on the upper left and the tip of its bushy tail on the lower right.
I then came back inside and located the creature who makes that sound on the internet.
Now I’m a fan of foxes, and this may be the same one that stops by some nights during the winter months to finish off the day’s cat food left for Smokey and Mittens.
I figure if the fox is less hungry from a meal of cat food, it will be less desperate to attempt to steal one of the local poultry. Or Smokey or Mittens. And my feral cats are pretty wary and savvy.
There’s always been foxes in our area since I arrived in 2017. I’m sure they’ve been part of the natural wildlife in NoCo forever. So we are encroaching on their territory. Luke lost his poultry to a predator back before he moved to Oz, so I know foxes and other predators like bobcats and coyotes present a problem for those in the area that raise chickens and ducks. But I’ve seen some of the neighbors with predator-proof coops that seems to prevent the feral creatures’ opportunistic search for an easy meal. If I were to bring poultry to Casa Claire I would go the extra yard on their safe keeping.
Anyway, while I’m glad Blue did not catch the fox, I’m also glad the fox is a little more wary of hanging around too long. I don’t want complacency to lead to its demise. Live and let live, and let nature take its course.
Of course I do hope the fox doesn’t make a habit of moonlight serenades, but at least I’ll know it’s not because it is injured or suffering.
https://www.discoverynatures.com/do-foxes-howl/
Well, Thursday is upon us. and its a recycling day, so I need to drag a lot of shit out to the road.
But first, my kitty cuddles and my rounds.
You fine, five readers get out there and do everything you can to get your workweek done and dusted.
Friday awaits there in the shadows. And it’s a summer Friday.
So, no matter what else we get up to today, let us make it a great one.
3 Responses
https://youtu.be/qBdFA6sI6-8?si=a5ldUFTqfX9KHRIx
I just finished the wise ass. I loved it!
Howling Fox is interesting, will it be another book?
K, thanks for the comment. I appreciate the feedback on TWA and would love it if you could post that same sentence as a review on Amazon. Every review helps. Everything that you see in my blogs always makes it into a book somehow. Thanks again for tuning in.