Tag Archives: Gray Fox

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I'm very pleased to have Siegfried Matull doing a guest blog today. He and his wife Gretel live on The Sea Ranch and delight in seeing and photographing nature.

"For many years my wife Gretel and I have been admiring and photographing Gray Foxes, which now show up year-round on our property. Our biggest surprise occurred when, for the first time, we saw a Gray Fox climb up into a tree.

"Gray Foxes are the only members of the fox species that can climb up, down and through trees. They have relatively short legs but they are very powerful. One time we watched a Gray Fox in a tree, slowly descending BACKWARDS down to the ground. We have watched several times how Cats also climb backwards down from trees in the same way the Gray Fox performed.

"On another occasion we were also tremendously surprised when a Gray fox was descending down a steep branch, supporting itself by holding on with its tail around the branch.

"Surprises never end in our beautiful Mendonoma Coastal area!"

A big thank you to Siegfried for his guest blog and beautiful photos.

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This a Raven with an attitude. Tim Gonzalez and his wife, Susan, were visiting their friends, Peggy and Mike Mee, at The Sea Ranch. They noticed this big black bird staring at something in the meadow. There stood a Gray Fox, seemingly intimidated by the stern Raven.

You can just imagine what the Raven might say to the Fox. Thanks to Tim for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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This is a rare sighting. How often does a Gray Fox bed down in a planter box on a deck. It has been cold so perhaps that is part of the answer.

Nancy Fairhurst called her neighbors, Thom Matson and Hank Stuart, over to take a look. The Fox was asleep in a planter box on Nancy's back deck, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean on The Sea Ranch. Thom got a beautiful photo just as the Fox awoke and has kindly allowed me to share it with you here - a wonderful wildlife encounter!

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We share the Mendonoma Coast with the beautiful Gray Fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus. They are often photographed hunting in the open meadows of The Sea Ranch. And that is where Hal Fogel photographed this Gray Fox. Thanks to Hal for kindly allowing me to share his photos with you.

Something caught this Gray Fox's attention!

Fun fact: Gray Foxes are monogamous. Their kits are some of the cutest critters you could hope to see. Here's a link to see Craig Tooley's photo of two Fox kits. http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/31/two-photos-of-gray-fox-kits-by-coastal-photographer-craig-tooley/

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Kathryn Hile was very lucky to have a Gray Fox family take up residence in the courtyard of her Sea Ranch home. It sure gave her numerous chances to make photographic magic. She has shared two charming photos with us.

The first photo is of the Mother Fox with her kits in Kathryn's driveway.

And the photo below is the Dad. He was on Kathryn's porch railing the night the parents let the kits out of the courtyard for the first time. Kathryn said, "He was guarding the front door to make sure I didn't go outside to disturb them."

Thanks to Kathryn for allowing me to share her cute photos! Here's a link to several other of Kathryn's photos of this Gray Fox family: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/06/02/gray-fox-kits-are-being-born-now-on-the-beautiful-mendonoma-coast/