Free Range Photography

Even at 8:15 in the morning the temperature of the air began to feel ominous, rising by the minute, six days into a heat wave that was starting to feel permanent. The chorus of birdsong was beginning to slow down, and even the clouds of insects seemed a bit unenthusiastic about their mission. I was about to pack up my gear and head home when a small orangish form passed into an opening in the brush on the other side of the river, and I knew immediately it was a Gray Fox. Despite its name, the Gray Fox sports a variable amount of bright orange fur on the neck and legs and it’s that color that’s more eye-catching than the salt and pepper gray on the body.

I have never been able to watch a fox without it knowing about my presence, and this animal had no idea I was there, albeit pretty far away, as it went about the business of what looked like settling down for a morning nap in the sun. Foxes are mostly nocturnal, but they are sometimes seen at first or last light of the day. This was almost three hours after dawn, so I’m not sure what brought this one into a relatively exposed spot, seemingly looking to have a rest.

The fox seemed a little restless, sitting up for a moment and then lying back down several times.

Pretty soon the fox lay down and finally closed its eyes. A few moments later a second fox appeared and approached its napping friend. The encounter was quite amicable and the sleepy fox did not seem the least bit bothered.

The second fox had other things to do, and after a brief moment of checking in, went back where it came from, deep in the brush. After its departure, the power nap apparently was finished and the first fox sat up and looked in the direction its departed buddy.

Soon after, this one got up and gingerly started to move down the steep bank toward the water. I know well that at this time of year, and especially during a heat wave, everyone eventually has to get to the river for a drink. There was a lot of thick brush between the napping spot and the water, and I have observed a lot of creatures make a similar transit, causing a big ruckus, snapping twigs and rustling brushy branches almost every time. But I heard nothing and soon began to wonder if the fox had slinked away in a different direction and I had missed it.

Although foxes are in the dog family, I’ve often thought that their stealthy and light movement was more like that of a cat. After drinking for awhile, the beautiful creature retreated into the riverside brush, not to be seen again. Meanwhile, the sun had begun to beat down a little more harshly, and I noticed how loud and clumsy I felt as I made my own retreat back home.