Monday, May 18, 2009

A Family of Red Foxes Near Bath, Maine


"I will be down there in a couple of hours," I told my friend Tucker. "I am going to take back roads. It will probably take me two or three hours with stops," I said as I grabbed my two cameras and my Filson Jacket and headed towards the car. After fueling up Nick's 1994 BMW 525I with 87 octane unleaded, I headed south towards Cape Elizabeth with four unassigned hours to negotiate the old BMW for miles. I expected to see barns, Mainards, or perhaps the occasional abandoned boat but I never expected to see a family of red foxes near Bath, Maine.

Twenty five miles north of Bath, the Maine woods started closing in on the two-lane highway and cell phone reception dropped. Just as I started thinking about turning around and heading west towards 295, the woods opened up, exposing a small field with two bulls standing on a small knoll. I slowed down to look at the bulls and spotted three foxes, a mother and two kits, playing with flowers.
Seeing these foxes made me realize that I soon will live far from foxes and picturesque rural farms like this. After I graduate in almost exactly a year, I will most likely move to a large city and start working a lot. Lee Norwood recently told me a story about how the year he started working for Ralph Lauren, he bought a top of the line backpacking stove and has yet to use it. He has worked at RL for twenty years.

After chasing the kits into the woods for the third time, I hopped back in Nick's BMW and headed south grinning ear to ear. Within three minutes I saw a weasel and turkey. Maybe I will be able to balance my professional career with doing other things I love.

Here are some more links,
Red Fox (Wikipedia),
A Family of Foxes (Picasa).

7 comments:

Angelo R. said...

I wouldn't get discouraged about working too much and not getting out in the wild. Mr. Lee Norwood clearly doesn't make camping/hiking/climbing a top priority. You will have vacation time, just use it wisely...you will soon learn to cherish your PTO.

A TIME TO GET said...

Are you serious? Nature photography too? Good God, man. You continue to blow me away.

Victoria Thorne said...

I'm with A Time to Get on that statement.

Last name was Reynard, until it was Thorne. Plan to pay tribute to your nature photography on vtd.

Something tells me you, of all people, will be able to find a balance.

These foxes, they are brilliant.

tons of land said...

you will. you will. well done.

Anonymous said...

Wow, the colors are incredible. It's almost surreal with that deep rich green contrasting with the fox in the second photo.

This is were to make orders: said...

That fox shot is amazing. Two roads diverged in the woods, you took the one less traveled....and see what you get.

Foster Huntington said...

I couldnt believe when i saw the foxes. Made my day, maybe even my month.
Foster