Fox vs. Magpie

Memorial Weekend was spent eating delicious barbequed foods that I didn't prepare myself.  That was a treat in itself.  The highlight of the weekend occurred when we were at a friend's house for the barbeque. 

Several of us stood in the yard, gazing idly over the fence into the next yard while we chatted.  I noticed an orange cat in that yard, lying in the grass and staring fixedly at our friend's dogs.  A magpie hopped around this cat.  I thought it odd that the cat was ignoring the long-tailed bird, so I looked closer.  That was no cat, it was a fox! 

The young fox, according to my friends, loved to lie there and taunt their dogs.  It would prance around outside their fence, sending the dogs into a barking frenzy. On this particular day, it seemed that the magpie had a nest nearby, and wanted the fox gone.  It hopped in a circle around the fox, occasionally pecking as incentive to leave.  The fox paid no attention.  Dogs were far more interesting.  The magpie stepped up its assault, pecking a little bit more.  Finally the bird gave one huge peck on the fox's head, and that did the trick.  The fox sauntered off, staring over its shoulder at the dogs. 

I confess that wildlife watching is a lot more fun when the wildlife is just as interested in staring at me as I am in staring at them!

We're off for a weekend seminar in Denver.  We have a different housesitter this time.  I'm crossing my fingers in hopes that when we return our animals are all still upright and breathing.

© Copyright 2006 bonnie willow. Last update: 8/23/2006; 10:04:56 PM.