Kodiak Brown Bear to the right, Bear across the river and another down to the left and Hiram says, ” Cross Fox”. My lens swiveled around to see this gorgeous fox staring at us. It wanted to come up to the river where we were standing to partake in some of the spent salmon. He would ease up, stop, ease up, stop, slowly closing the distance. Why take the lens of Kodiak Brown Bears? Well, we have bears all the time, that’s why I’m here. We have Red Fox quite commonly, but this is the first Cross Fox we’ve had here. I had to photograph him, especially with those big eyes asking, “Can I come now?”

Spring fawns are a great source of entertainment around The Ranch. When they are first dropped, we search and search to find them. Figuring out which doe dropped a single and which dropped twins, a game of seeing whose predictions were right or wrong. Then once the wobbly little guys start to move around, getting to know them and they, getting to know us. And then there is the Maggie factor. Which fawns will take to Maggie and which will move off? This year, one fawn has taken to Maggie. Now, fall is just a click or two off and the fawns are starting to lose their spots. The times we see them with their moms are fewer and fewer. The fawns are on their own and getting into mischief, eating garden plants that are not for them. Just yesterday, they were watched to see the frolicking, now for the damage they cause. They grow so fast.

When the kid landed on the vertical perch, it was hard to stay silent in the hide! The parents came to the suet feeders all spring and even though they didn’t nest on our property, we at least were able to enjoy them. Then the first kid arrived and that brings new hope for next spring nesting. I’m I love watching the kids learning how to use the suet feeders, they are not sure at first. Though mom is showing them where they are, where to perch and to ignore the guy in the hide, the kids act so confused. When they come to the feeders on their own, they look around, dance up and down the perch, deciding where to stand, total characters. Our little community of Pileateds grew as the kids are making themselves at home.