From Barbara Lloyd: This morning (January 23, 2008), two red foxes were in the ravine, just on the other side of the hill across from your house and ours (Wynding and Glenmont). I wondered if these were the “coyotes” that others had seen, but their coats were clearly red and and their snouts not as long as coyotes. They were beautiful, very full-coated adults with lovely red and white markings. I regretted having to go to work. 

Laure Nordholdt reported seeing a pair of fox in the ravine around December 24-25 and again the week of January 14, 2008. Laure writes: “My husband and son saw them early evening while it was snowing last week.  They were climbing up the hill near the big brick home close to the end of Overbrook, near Indianola.  He said there was still plenty of light to clearly see their red coats.” 

Hi Barbara,

Susan forwarded your email to me regarding the animal you saw in the ravine.  Unfortunately, the picture did not come through in my version of the message.  

Based on your description, is sounds like a pair of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes).  Their total length is usually around approximately 40 inches. The red part of their coat is unmistakable and their white belly fur is usually a pretty vivid contrast.  The early part of their breeding season started about 2 weeks ago, so it would be very common to see them paired up right now.

The coyote (Canis latrans) looks more like the domestic german shephard in body shape and general posture and has a tail shape that is also very similar.  While they may have a slightly rufous (rusty-colored) coat, vivid reds have never been documented in this species.  While they go into estrus (heat) in January, they usually dont pair up this early.

I would be happy to confirm the species if you would like to send me a picture.  I have seen foxes in the ravine at least a dozen times in the year that I have lived there.  I have never seen a coyote but have seen their tracks several times.

Good luck and enjoy your furred neighbors!

Lisa

Lisa Fosco

Director of Animal Care 

Ohio Wildlife Center

614-761-0134

The Division of Natural Areas and Preserves is proposing a new license plate where proceeds will go towards land protection, management (including getting rid of invasive species!) and education.

We need to have 1000 signatures before we can proceed to the next step to finalize the plate, so please consider printing out this Petition to establish a license plate, signing it and mailing it to the address below. Even better, fill out the entire sheet with your family members, friends and neighbors signatures and then send it in! You need to put your license plate number or driver’s license number on the form or your signature will not count. Your signature does not obligate you to purchase the plate.

Greg Schneider, Manager
Ohio Natural Heritage Program
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
2045 Morse Rd., Bldg. F-1
Columbus, Ohio 43229-6693

Several people have emailed wildlife sightings:

On December 31, Jeanne Desy wrote:

We had a full-size but immature red-tailed hawk in our back yard today for a long time, and Mu (black cat belonging to Carters) crouched under our back deck for a long, long time, and a squirrel clung upside down and motionless on an oak. Otherwise, nothing moved until . . .

eventually the hawk plummeted down and came up with a mouse. Three blue jays bombed him, trying to save it, perhaps recognizing the squeaks as similar to their own babies’ cries, but the hawk ignored them. Clearly though, he is going to need more than a mouse a day to make it through, though right now he was nice and plump, so he resumed his watchful scanning. Nature is.

On January 2, Laure Nordholt  of Overbrook near Indianola wrote:

I wanted to let you know that my son and I saw a fox in our back yard near the ravine about 5 nights ago.

Very amazing and most excellent.

On January 14, Georgia Blum Herminghausen wrote that she looked out her second story window and saw a Cooper’s Hawk a few feet away holding a house sparrow.