With no subject originally in mind, I thought I would just share (and re-share) some old photos of a Red Fox family. There are even a couple I have not shared before. All were created on the same day. A good day might I say.

With many animals in the wild, it is often the male of the species that is the most spectacular. Unlike the human animal where that never occurs. My opinion. Of course, with many bird species the male has more color. With many mammals the male is larger, and often has things like longer fur, or antlers etc.

Every Red Fox male I have seen is gangly, and usually has fur that looks like it has been tore out in places by the roots.

Every female Red Fox I have seen is pretty as a picture. A little more compact, and put together perfectly.  It kind of sounds like the human animal to me.

In this case dad, had chipped teeth, missing spots of hair, and not a pretty face.  He looked fairly old and he seemed to work (hunting, protecting etc.) about 23 hours a day.

Mom  had her hands (well, paws) full with seven babies. She appeared young with a pretty coat and face. She did have a little hair missing on her back from crawling under rocks to get in and out of the den.

Dad’s bedroom was also in the rocks but about 50 feet away. Just close enough to see or hear everything.

One day he came home with some food and called (a very quiet bark) out, which brought the Mrs. and all the kids out. While he watched over them as they ate, she took the opportunity to travel south along the lake shore rocks, and snatch a vole which she brought back and dropped in front of some of the kits. A few moments to herself where she could do what she was born to do just as her hubby was, hunt.

Of all the fox families I have watched and photographed, this was the most active and interesting.

Dad actually dong the fox trot

Dad with children.

Mom with kits.
5,6

Mom

Kits….three siblings

Kit

One night as photographers like me slept, he and she moved the entire family. I would imagine to a place that was a little less hectic. I thanked them, and moved on as well.

There were a few more foxes to appear in my life, but this was my favorite family.

Mo matter how much I concentrated on a subject like this family, I was always at the same time looking for other subjects.  Anything and I mean anything, that I found visually stimulating, would become fair game for my camera and I.

When I photographed scenes that were not truly nature, I composed as if it was. This image contains a portion of a tree, a stained glass window, and some brick from the building that housed that window. I just thought of it as a tree, some flowers and a rock form.

Enjoy your day and make sure you never miss the beauty in life.

God Bless,
Wayne