Red Fox: Cape Cod in Winter
When we awoke this morning, we found we had been magically transported to an unfamiliar aerie overlooking Cape Cod Bay.
That’s what it felt like, anyway. The dog tried to figure out where he was.
Outside, strangely silent bluejays hopped about in the brush.
Walking down Franklin Street toward the water, a flash of red streaked across the sidewalk and onto the front lawn of a house.
Our hearts beat fast.
We investigated, and found – be still, my heart –
a magnificent red fox.
Just hanging out in the driveway in the middle of Provincetown, like it owned the joint. The fox watched us, and we watched the fox for five or ten minutes.
I’ve never seen such a tail. And such eyes. And such handsome black stockings.
After a while, the fox lost interest in us and resumed its morning business. The dog and I, too, resumed our morning business, heading to the wharf.
But that’s a story for another post.
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Tags: bluejay, cape cod in winter, fox, provincetown in winter, red fox
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Out walking the dog 
January 6, 2015 at 10:39 am
What a grand and glorious posting! Welcome back!
January 13, 2015 at 9:55 am
Thank you!
January 6, 2015 at 4:46 am
He’s a very very handsome specimen, and, it’s lovely to see you posting.
Happy New Year!
January 13, 2015 at 9:50 am
Thanks for the welcoming me back, Rose. That fox was a beauty.
January 5, 2015 at 9:16 pm
A gorgeous animal!
January 13, 2015 at 9:46 am
Isn’t it, though! Thanks for stopping by, Georgia. I look forward to the launching of the WSP Eco Map. NYC readers, you might want to visit Georgia’s blog for more urban ecology with a downtown focus.
January 4, 2015 at 9:11 pm
Spectacular portrait of the fox. That one may just be an all-time classic.
January 13, 2015 at 9:46 am
Thanks so much, and thank you for mentioning Out Walking the Dog on your own beautiful blog. Hope your back is healing, and the dog still smiling.
January 4, 2015 at 6:57 pm
Beautiful fox… You saw many of God’s golden gifts this morning.
January 4, 2015 at 7:26 pm
I felt very lucky indeed this morning. Thank you for visiting the blog!
January 4, 2015 at 6:23 pm
We are so blessed that you are back telling your stories!
January 4, 2015 at 7:26 pm
So nice of you, Tricia. Hope your writing and wildlife viewing is going well.
January 4, 2015 at 4:05 pm
What a joy! I would give anything to see a fox in its natural habitat…
January 4, 2015 at 7:25 pm
Thanks, Rena. The last time I saw a fox was in London. Yes, London! They are everywhere there, and are considered urban pests, raiding garbage cans and so on. But they are gorgeous. Here’s the London post Urban Foxes in South London
January 6, 2015 at 9:38 am
I’ve seen a few in Westchester County, NY. I’ve also seen a brave one in Ulster County, NY walk right up to our car. Also on Fire Island, NY (off Long Island) I saw one out in broad daylight on the dunes. That said – you are less likely to see foxes as the coyote population increases. Just in the same way wolves keep coyote population down – so coyotes do to foxes. It’s the way of the natural cycle.
January 13, 2015 at 9:55 am
Yes, the pressures canine species exert on each other are intriguing. Cape Cod has coyotes as well as foxes, but friends in provincetown hadn’t spotted a coyote in a very long time whereas the foxes are EVERYWHERE this winter. The day after my sighting, my husband saw two foxes on a nearby street, one of which was a leucistic fox. In another fascinating twist, there appear to be a number of these on Cape Cod these days.I haven’t heard of foxes on Manhattan, but nothing would surprise me about the parks up in the northern reaches of our fair island. When my family used to spend time out on eastern Long Island, foxes were regularly spotted.
January 4, 2015 at 2:57 pm
What a gorgeous & regal fox. Love the black stockings and the ‘-be still, my heart -‘ Magical post.
January 4, 2015 at 7:23 pm
Thanks – a magical animal deserves a magical post.