The Mystery Guests.

Yesterday morning walking out to get the morning paper I noticed a fox sitting proudly in the neighbors driveway. She did seem concerned and watched me walk out, turn and stare, then go back inside. I have been hearing about the fox walking the fence in the back, from the neighbor, but this is the first we had seen her. The neighborhood has been hoping the new guests would apply a little population control on the exploding rabbit population.

BTW: the Colorado Department of Wildlife wants me to get a picture of the black hares (different from a rabbit) with the whiskered ears up at Autumn Creek I asked them about a couple of months ago. I think they are doubting my observation, but I am not the only one that has seen these big 'spooky' looking hares. For those of you in Autumn Creek, Marlys and I have seen the Hares between Eric's and the top of the hill before turning downhill to the front gate. They don't seem easily intimidated and will stay in place even if you stop to observe.

Back to the "Mystery Guests". For the last couple of days there have been strips of cloth by the front door in the morning. At first I though it may have been the ruminants(?) of the neighborhood kids making tails for kites, because of the time of year and size of the strips. Well this morning the mystery was solved. Turns out that "Mother Fox" has three kits and their home appears to under the living room overhang on the front of the house.

I opened up the door to get the Sunday paper and all three were rolling around on each other and playing tug of war with the cloth. By the time I got the camera only one was still there.
They are pretty cute. Don't know what if anything we should do about them. For now we will just enjoy watching them grow up.

Pat