One Moment in Nature is a reflection back in time to a moment of discovery as I explored the natural settings around me. Through the sharing of this moment, is my hope that readers will become motivated to learn more about our environment and its inhabitants, and become passionate advocates for conservation. One Moment in Nature is a Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
THE MOMENT
I had traveled to Saskatoon to spend some time with my son and his GF and to hopefully photograph some of the wintering bird species there. On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, as I drove around the Lakewood Park area searching for a reported Northern Shrike, my car outdoor thermometer registered -25 degrees C (-10 degrees F) and my weather app informed me that with windchill effect that would feel like -38 C. Being born and raised in sunny Central California however, I was NOT prepared for how -38 degrees winds can burn one’s exposed face and how those temps can wreck havok on camera gear. One of my hopes for this trip was to photograph Blue Jays in the snow. I have successfully photographed them in temperate habitats, but never in the snow. After a succesfull hunt for the Northern Shrike (lifer photo), as I was crusing the area I could hear them calling. I slowed down, lowered the window and gasped as the bitter cold air took my breath away. There was virtually no traffic and as the snow drifted down, the silence was surreal. I had just reached the area known as Heritage Park when I saw a flash of reddish-orange just off the side of the road along a trail.
For a brief moment in time, I was witness to the timeless act of a near apex predator dispatching a hapless prey species. There was literally no sound other than the falling snow as the life and death scenario played out right in front of me.
After the Red Fox had gulped down the vole, it raised its head, our eyes met and it stared briefly at me inquisitively. Not sensing any danger, it slowly stood up, stretched and strolled away. For a few quiet moments, I was a fortunate bystander to nature unplugged.
ABOUT THE SPECIES
Distribution and Abundance: The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia, plus parts of North Africa.
Conservation Status: It is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native small and medium-sized rodents and marsupials.
**Due to its impact on native species, it is included on the list of the “world’s 100 worst invasive species“.
ABOUT THE AREA
The Lakewood Park area (specifically Heritage Park) is in the southeastern side of Saskatoon on the edge of town adjacent to the Wildwood Golf Course. Given the proximity (5 blocks) to the nearby creeks and native grasslands that abutt this housing development, it is no wonder the fox was actively hunting nearby.
Most recent Blog Posts from the One Moment in Nature series.
Reflections of the Natural World 