Just before dawn, when the full moon still illuminated our Littleton farm, the eerie calls of our resident fox pierced the morning chill. Soon thereafter, barking dogs joined the chorus and, I suspect, the Sunday morning racket was not welcomed by our neighbors.
Red fox, known for their beauty and stealth, are also known to deliver a wide range of calls, barks and screams. The latter, which continued for 30 minutes this morning, are especially disturbing and, in semi-rural areas, often prompt calls to the police. These eerie cries are most common during the mating season of January-February but can be heard throughout the year; utilized to locate a mate, to communicate with an established mate, to define the fox's territory or to warn others of an approaching enemy (often a coyote), the screams carry a long distance.
Since we are well past the usual mating period for red fox, I am hopeful that this morning's wake-up call signals the presence of a denning pair on the property. We will know by late May when up to eight pups might be tumbling about the property.
