I’ll forgive the geese for now. A group of them, adults without goslings, had assembled offshore, and were milling about. I could tell they wanted to come up and nibble my lawn. Strange. What was holding them back? Usually they’re not at all bashful about it.
I went out to shush them off. As I got close, something moved behind a row of hostas (big this year) growing along the water’s edge. The creature quickly came into view, no more than three feet from me. As I watched, it moved quickly, deliberately, with no sign of panic, north toward Smith Point.
I thought, what animal is this? It’s too big for a cat or a groundhog. It could be a dog, but I’ve never seen a dog with a head and ears like that. Reddish. Aha! A red fox. A moment later it was gone.
(Reminder to myself, in fact a resolution: never go out in the yard again, for any reason, without taking the camera.)
The fox may return to Smith Point, looking for things to eat along the shore, so I may see it again. I wonder, though, will I ever see the little cottontail again? It was living on Smith Point.
For readers in the exburbs, sightings such as this may be commonplace. Here in the city, though, this is hardly an everyday event. How about you? Have you seen a fox lately?