Surprise Garden Visitor

Desert Grey Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

Late this afternoon I stepped outside to check on my roses, and much to my surprise, this creature was standing under a Palo Verde tree staring at me! It startled me--I didn't know what it was, and I stared right back. This stare-down went on several minutes, and since the animal didn't move, I went in the house to get my camera, hoping to catch a couple of photos before it bolted. I needn't have worried--it was still in the same spot, motionless and staring at me. I snapped about 20 photos, getting closer and closer with each one. Then, I began to wonder if this stare-down was normal, and thought maybe it was a rabid fox, so I retreated into the house to watch it from a window. It hung around for about 10 minutes, then sauntered away, jumping the perimeter wall.

From looking at photos on the Internet,

I determined this is a Desert Grey Fox--and it's the first fox I've ever seen! This fox is a member of the dog family and it can climb trees, where it rests, hides or searches for a bird meal. These foxes are basically nocturnal, but they do come out during the day if they want to explore.

About this time of year, fox families separate after the mother stops nursing the young. Grey foxes are usually solitary during the winter. I'm not sure of the sex of this fox, but I think the coloring is quite attractive.

forage for small mammals, bird eggs, insects, birds, fruits, or berries.