It snowed again...

[treefrog]

You know what that means... I went out with my camera again. The deer mostly seemed to be napping after 2" of snow but the fox seemed to love it. I went out well before sunrise and snuck into the spot I thought would get me the best photo opportunities. The temperatures were in the high teens and I sat out there for a little over 3 hours. My hands, feet, and face were numb, there was frost on the outside of my camera lens, and my camera battery didn''t last long but I was again rewarded with some amazing opportunities. As you know, I like to save the best for last but these are close to the order they were taken.

Treefrog

 

[treefrog]

Pretty snow and light on this tree.

 

[treefrog]

Is it nap time or play time?

 

[treefrog]

Ok, ok... I''ll get up. Guess it''s play time.

 

[treefrog]

Are you ready? Let''s go over towards the guy with the camera...

 

[treefrog]

Who, him?

 

[treefrog]

Yeah, yeah... that''s the guy. Let''s go over and jump him!

 

[treefrog]

Ready, set...

 

[treefrog]

POUNCE!!!!!

 

[tyty333]

These pictures are outstanding. I love the one where he is looking right at you. They look like they are having fun!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Oh my, those little guys are SO CUTE! Where are you located?

We have a lot of deer and even coyotes and bob cats around, but never have I seen a fox.

 

[packrat]

Beautiful pictures Treefrog! We don''t get to see too many fox around here-the coyotes get them all. They''re cute, playing in the snow!

 

[that_someone_special]

so cuuuteeee!

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/8/2010 3:16:08 PM
Author: tyty333
These pictures are outstanding. I love the one where he is looking right at you. They look like they are having fun!

Thanks tyty! I like that one too. I have so many deer pictures now it''s crazy. I kept going out hoping to see fox but all I saw were deer. Finally, I got some fox pictures and pretty much ignored the deer.

Date: 1/8/2010 3:59:07 PM
Author: MC
Oh my, those little guys are SO CUTE! Where are you located?

We have a lot of deer and even coyotes and bob cats around, but never have I seen a fox.

Thanks MC! Where am I located... and give up my secret photo place??? Ha!

Mid-Atlantic area. The biggest predator to fox around here is a car. We have plenty of fox but to say they are wary and elusive is an understatement. Want to trade? Now I have fox pictures but no coyote or bobcat pictures.

Date: 1/8/2010 4:17:20 PM
Author: packrat
Beautiful pictures Treefrog! We don''t get to see too many fox around here-the coyotes get them all. They''re cute, playing in the snow!

Perfect - you and MC come over here to see the fox and I''ll try some coyote pictures. Yes, they seemed to be having fun while I was freezing my (l) off! Very cute. Can''t wait to get some time to take a better look at all my pics. I did a quick edit of a few and shrunk them down to a postable size.

Date: 1/8/2010 4:21:44 PM
Author: swedish bean
so cuuuteeee!

Yes they are. I saw 7 different fox actually. There are at least 4 different ones in these pictures. I''ll keep going out trying for more photos but I guess my next challenge will be fox pups in a few months. Talk about cute!

Treefrog

 

[Kaleigh]

treefrog,

Love your pics Love the captions. You take the greatest nature pics!! You should send them to your newspaper??

 

[Skippy123]

You pictures are sooooo beautiful!!! Those foxes are amazing; I wish I saw something like that, super cool!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[elrohwen]

Those pictures (especially the last two) are fantastic! They could be in National Geographic or something. Gorgeous.

And kudos to you for sitting in the snow for 3 hours. Definitely not something I''ll be doing any time soon

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Thanks MC! Where am I located... and give up my secret photo place??? Ha!

Mid-Atlantic area. The biggest predator to fox around here is a car. We have plenty of fox but to say they are wary and elusive is an understatement. Want to trade? Now I have fox pictures but no coyote or bobcat pictures.

There are tons of signs up about coyotes being spotted, but I still haven''t seen one. My friends have heard them and then there also are warnings about cats gone missing due to them. I *do* have a few bobcat photos that I''ll have to hunt for on my hard drive. They were hastily taken. . .once I was on the eliptical and spacing out when next thing I knew, there was a bobcat treking though the back yard. When my cat saw him, his tail puffed to about 3X it''s normal diameter! lol I basically ran for the camera and took a peek-a-boo shot.

Oh, and addition to those, we also have deer and our ever-so-favorite: the raccoons. We had one living at our house so my husband picked up a trap from animal control and get this, we trapped the thing and then later that night, him and his raccoon buddies *used their hands* to get the trap open. Little buggers! They are huge around here!

 

[zoebartlett]

Treefrog -- you take really great shots! Were you afraid to get so close to the fox (foxes?) though?

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/8/2010 4:58:10 PM
Author: Kaleigh
treefrog,

Love your pics Love the captions. You take the greatest nature pics!! You should send them to your newspaper??

Thanks Kaleigh! Yeah... I can''t seem to post much without a "little narration". I enjoy writing almost as much as I enjoy photography.

I''ve had some photos end up in the newspaper but really, I just enjoy being out with Mother Nature (and sharing what I find!)

Treefrog

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/8/2010 5:08:18 PM
Author: Skippy123
You pictures are sooooo beautiful!!! Those foxes are amazing; I wish I saw something like that, super cool!

Thanks for sharing!

Why thank you Skippy!

Glad you enjoyed them. I''ll have to keep going out so I can keep sharing!

Treefrog

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/8/2010 5:26:39 PM
Author: elrohwen
Those pictures (especially the last two) are fantastic! They could be in National Geographic or something. Gorgeous.

And kudos to you for sitting in the snow for 3 hours. Definitely not something I''ll be doing any time soon

Thanks elrohwen! The sun came out for a brief moment just as the second to last one was coming towards me. I prefer the early morning and late afternoon light because it makes a huge difference in pictures but I don''t have any control over that. I was glad it came out for that one though! The pouncing photo was as I was walking back to my car. I was pretty cold and my battery was almost dead but I saw it come out of the woods so I just knelt down as low as I could and watched it hunt for about 20 minutes. It was very entertaining.

I sometimes get impatient and walk around but I pretty much stayed in one spot this morning to see what came by naturally. I''d say it payed off but at 19 degrees and kneeling in the snow for almost 4 hours, it''s not for everyone. I knew exactly how many fox I''d see if I just stayed in bed so I just had to give it a shot. I''m much warmer now!

Treefrog

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/8/2010 5:38:05 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
I LOVE THESE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are so incredibly beautiful!!!!

Thanks SDL! I have many much better pictures (not of fox though). I'm at the fire station tonight but when I get some time, I'll have to do a "Best of" post.

Treefrog

(edit: How about sending some of that warmer weather to the East Coast???)

 

[treefrog]

MC - don''t think any cat would want to see that. Amazing where all that hair comes from and what it does when they are frightened.

Racoons... I don''t have any pictures of those rascals but I''m not surprised they found a way to do a "jailbreak" for their friend. I''ve heard stories about them getting in through those little cat doors, eating the cats food, and escaping the same way they came in.

Treefrog

 

[yssie]

So cute, and how amazing that you caught the pounce on camera!!



I want your backyard, I really do!

 

[Skippy123]

Treefrog, I just now made the connection you took these awesome pictures too!

----> https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pictures-following-snowstorm.132263/
I was going to tell you that you, and that other poster should get together and make a book with these gorgeous pictures. lol Well now that I know it is all you; you should submit your pictures. I went nuts over the other pictures and just as happy nutty over these; you have incredible talent!!!!

Yes, yes, please keep your amazing pictures coming!! I love them and feel lucky to see them

They truly are incredible!!!

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/8/2010 6:52:34 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Treefrog -- you take really great shots! Were you afraid to get so close to the fox (foxes?) though?

Thanks Zoe! A nice camera and BIG lens helps!

No, I''m not afraid. It''s a little unnerving wandering in before the sun comes up but in reality, most animals are afraid of us and will run long before we even see them. I certainly would not do it in grizzly bear country and I''d be cautious around other animals but where I live, it''s mostly deer that we have. There have been some black bear spottings, maybe bobcats, and coyotes too but they are so rare that my odds of running into one of them are probably less than my odds for winning the lottery.

I try to learn about my subject before venturing out. My biggest fear now that I found where some fox are is running them away from their dens. I think I found where two families live and I keep my distance from the dens and try to catch them somewhere in the middle. The snow makes it easy for me to see where they''re heading so I can better avoid the den areas. I''ve seldom see fox and never more than one so this morning was a real treat. Fox are so incredibly smart that it''s almost impossible to get close pictures in non-park areas. I have tons of deer pictures and they seem easy compared to fox. The pictures are probably a little deceptive anyway. The fox that came closest to me was the second to last picture and that was about 50 feet away. The big lens helps me keep my distance. Years ago, I had one that just kept walking towards me. I was hiding between two big hay bales. Eventually, it spotted me and ran away.

Wait until I post my alligator picture... I''m not ashamed to admit every hair on my body was probably standing up like the hair on MC''s cat''s tail. I was ready to drop the camera and run at any second. That was in a state park though and they are pretty used to people. Doesn''t mean I was any less cautious though.

Treefrog

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/8/2010 8:47:14 PM
Author: yssie
So cute, and how amazing that you caught the pounce on camera!!

I want your backyard, I really do!

It was pretty amazing. I''ve seen them do it before. I saw it stop in the field and it was looking at the ground in front of it pretty intently. I was ready for it!

I am very lucky. It''s not quite my back yard but this location is less than a 5 minute drive away. (I''m also fortunate that my job has some flexibility in the work hours; as long as I make up the time or take vacation hours) It''s actually on the grounds of a hospital and they have a huge open area with a pond and a little paved trail through it. I pretty much have the area to myself in the Winter.

I can''t wait for the pond to thaw so I can try my luck with ducks and geese.

Treefrog

 

[treefrog]

Hi Skippy,

Yes, that was me too. I didn't want to append to that one so I started a new one. Same area, just not as much snow this time. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful area so close to me and I just love sharing what I find. I will absolutely share some of my other favorites when I get a chance and am back on my computer at home. Don't let me forget!

Treefrog

 

[Sundial]

Treefrog I was excited to see that you posted more of your fantastic photos!!! I love the shots of these animals that you are able to capture and it is so nice of you to share them with us. And by the way I did get a Canon G11 for Christmas and I am having fun learning to use it. Maybe one of these days I can snap a picture of a roadrunner for you guys!