Red Fox En Route to Walk: Sept. 23, 2022

It is amazing that certain mammals are able to co-exist with us in urban environments. As I was driving to Beechwood / Don Valley this morning, I saw a fox. After stopping the car, out came the camera and I got this photo through the windscreen.

Red Fox

I then got out to take more:

Red Fox
Red Fox
Red Fox
Red Fox

Some botany:

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
Spindletree (Euonymus europaea) also called Burning Bush
Multiflora Rose Hips (Rosa multiflora)
Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana)
Dog-strangling Vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum)
Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
Black Maple (Acer nigrum)
Crown Vetch (Securigera varia)
Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)
Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus inserta)

New England Aster

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

can hybridize with Heath Aster

Heath Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides)

to produce Amethyst Aster (which we saw this morning).

Amethyst Aster (Symphyotrichum amethystinum)
Amethyst Aster (Symphyotrichum amethystinum)

Area views:

Brown-lipped Snail

Some birds:

Downy Woodpecker (male)
Mallard (male)
Downy Woodpecker (male)
Song Sparrow
Mallard (female)

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

Copper coloured fur, burnished by the sun,
The horses, hounds and men blur into one,
As wiley foxy to the river runs,
And undetected hides until they’ve gone. – Judith Hamilton

Miles Hearn

4 thoughts on “Red Fox En Route to Walk: Sept. 23, 2022

  1. Marg

    Seeing that photo of the fox climbing the chain link fence is a clear reminder that little dogs may not be totally safe in our fenced-in yards. Neither are free roaming pet kitties! Great photos, Miles.

    Reply
  2. Frances Scovil

    We had a red fox breakfasting on a squirrel on our lawn this morning too! They have good hunting in the city with so many squirrels and other rodents.

    Reply
  3. Patricia Lund

    I thought I was seeing things the other day in the ravine behind our house. It was a spectacular sight of a pure black fox with a white-tipped tail. I did not know that they even existed. They are called Silver Foxes and can be produced by two red parents, actually with a litter proportion of 1 in 4. The black color is due to a recessive trait caused by melanism.
    Last week I saw a black mink behind our house chase a squirrel up a tree. It is surprising what lives in our ravines.

    Reply

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