Last night, as frigid air enveloped the Front Range, the eerie cries of our resident red fox, echoed across the farm. Far from peaceful, the piercing calls did signal that nature's new year is advancing on schedule.
Indeed, the cries confirm that the fox breeding season is underway and, despite their disturbing quality to the human ear, are used to locate a nearby mate. The actual mating will occur later in the winter and the pups arrive by mid spring.
We humans, not naturally designed to function well during the dark, cold months of winter, are always anxious to discover early signs of spring. The lengthening daylight, evident by early January, is a welcome glimmer of recovery and the mating calls of owls and fox, however spooky they may be, augment the promise that spring will soon unfold.
