Cool Nature Photos

[riptides]

Gamecam pic earlier this year

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Grey Foxes are going to be the end of my chicken operation if I can't figure out how to stop them from climbing my fences.

Lead works

 

[MossRoad]

I got a pic of a gray fox on the trail cam. I have never seen one before, just red foxes.

From what I read they are not as common as the red. They are the only fox that can climb trees.

Gray foxes have specialized physical adaptations for climbing. Unlike other canids, they possess semi-retractable claws that are sharper and more curved than those of other foxes, allowing for an enhanced grip on tree bark. These claws provide the necessary traction for ascending vertical trunks.

Gray foxes also have strong limbs and flexible ankle joints that can rotate more than 180 degrees. This rotation allows them to wrap their forelimbs around a tree trunk and push upward with their hind legs, a “hugging and scrambling” approach. Their light body weight, typically 7 to 14 pounds, further aids their ability to navigate branches. When descending, gray foxes climb down headfirst, rotating their hind feet for better visibility and control, a distinctive trait compared to most cats that descend backward.

Tree climbing provides several advantages for the gray fox’s survival. A primary reason for ascending trees is to escape predators such as coyotes, bobcats, and domestic dogs, which cannot follow them into the canopy. This vertical escape mechanism allows gray foxes to coexist with larger ground-based predators.

Trees also expand the gray fox’s foraging opportunities by providing access to arboreal prey. They hunt birds, squirrels, and their eggs, which are inaccessible to ground-dwelling carnivores. Gray foxes also utilize trees for shelter and resting, sometimes making dens in hollow trees or old raptor nests, often up to 30 feet above the ground. This elevated position offers protection from disturbances and harsh weather, and female foxes may select tree cavities for raising their young.

View attachment 4449028

I've only seen two gray foxes in my life, one when I was under 18 and the other about 20 years ago. Otherwise, all red foxes.

 

[weldingisfun]

I've only seen two gray foxes in my life, one when I was under 18 and the other about 20 years ago. Otherwise, all red foxes.

If you want to see gray foxes, come to Texas. Got plenty.

 

[John0829]

The weather forecasters that seldom ever get it right finally did.

 

[dj1701]

Right place right time. Never expected to see a pileated woodpecker on my feeder.

 

[MossRoad]

Nice!

Ever hear those things drumming? They have to think about it first!

 

[MossRoad]

It's why rock peckers went extinct...

 

[masseyrider]

Lead worksView attachment 4449125

Right back at someone who would shot a fox.

 

[snymat68]

The weather forecasters that seldom ever get it right finally did.

View attachment 4466714

You mean weather guessers? Lol.