Checking out the Camera

Staring at the House

As has happened every year since we’ve been here, there is an apparent negotiation for ground space between the foxes and the skunks.  Sometimes one has the whole evening to itself to inspect the surroundings, sniff the digs, push and pull the pine needles around.  Other nights they’re separated only by a few minutes (as told by the timestamp on the wildlife camera). 

But if past history is any indication, the foxes will ultimately claim the space and the skunks will move on to find another place to drop their spring litters.  Molly, our black Belgian Shepard, has only had one run in with skunks since being here in Oregon, so the little striped critters are not much of a problem for us.  But we are certainly happy to have the foxes and chances are good that soon they’ll take up springtime residence at the den. 

First One…

Then The Other

But things are happening:  The fox remains active at the den.  He (I’m pretty sure it’s a male) continues to come through ever other evening, checking out the environs and making sure things are ok.  I think he’s just keeping it in ready reserve for the chance that soon he’ll have a mate to bring into the place.  There is a skunk that also comes by pretty regularly but it doesn’t get much of a foothold before the fox is back. 

Just above the den a few days ago, Denine and I spotted a one-eyed great horned owl sitting in a tree watching us walk below.  He seemed more interested in Molly as she chased sticks than he did of us.

The next night the woods were alive with the hooting of great horned owls and the screechy calls of barn owls.  I put a barn owl call on my cell phone and sat just outside the barn after dark.  I played the barn owl call and within thirty seconds saw an owl drop out of one of the trees above me – I could see was a silhouette against the night sky and heard a faint wing flap.  A minute later another owl flew in between the trees and veered off with a pale flash of white under it’s wings.  I was seriously excited at that point and a little freaked out.  A couple of minutes later I replayed the owl call and saw another flash of white pull up into the tree next to me.  Another owl.  After settling a bit, it hopped to a lower branch and again jumped to a closer branch not long afterwards.  It seemed curious and unconcerned as I shifted around trying to stay warm. 

The picture below was taken with my cell phone as I was getting up to leave.  As far as I could tell the owl just hung out as I was heading back inside.

Barn Owl

These days are short.  It’s dark when I walk out to the office to start the day.  It’s twilight when the day is done.  The sun arcs low across the sky and sinks behind Elk Ridge just to the west of us at 3:15pm.  Down in town they get an extra thirty minutes of daylight since they’re further from the height of the mountains, but even still it’s the season of short light.  Or is it?

In the house on days when the sun is shining from a brilliant blue sky, the low angle means that we have luxuriously long rays of sunlight across the floor.  This time of year they stretch halfway through the house bouncing sunlight against the walls and up to the ceilings.  For an hour at noon the whole house lights up with a beautiful honey colored glow.   So, is it a season of ‘short and dark’ or ‘long and light’?  Neither.  Both.  Caught at the moment I talk to myself about it, it becomes whatever I say…

Winter Light Rays

Christmas:

We had a nice time during a long Christmas break.  Denine and I gifted each other and Molly, laughing at all the fun.  We cried when we buried one of the black cats but then I enjoyed time with the other two cats lounging on my chest as I lay on the couch reading a couple of good books.   A nice break, another week-long slice of life. 

Creatures:

The foxes continue to work out at the den – things appear to be proceeding normally out there.  Still haven’t had any daylight sightings of the foxes which is unusual.  I think it’s because we’re dealing with new, cautious adults.  We also have lots of raptors hanging out in the woods.  These birds are very wary.  They’ll drop out of trees that are a hundred yards away when I walk out of the office or house.  Seems a bit overly cautious to me, but they do what they have to do.  This one decided differently:  Just behind the barn, he (she?) just sat and watched until I got tired of taking pictures and walked away:

Northern Harrier

Finally:

Last night as I was leaving the wood shop to return to the house, I sat in the chair just outside the door to let my eyes adjust to the evening light.  The moon was bright, the sky clear and it was warm enough to just sit and enjoy the stillness of the woods.  A barn owl was screeching in the trees somewhere close.  I heard a noise in a tree above me and while I craned my head upwards to peer into the dark above, it became clear an owl had just landed in the branches above.  While I watched, it hopped down the limbs until it was just about 20 feet above me.  We shared the space for about fifteen minutes before he flew off towards the house, around the driveway and off into the evening.  A pale while barn owl, silent and unperturbed by my presence.  I appreciated its nonchalance:  An honor, Mr. Owl…