Wildflower Field Mowed and Special Visitor!

7:30 a.m. and 42 degrees. Today when I arrived at the park I could see the wildflower field had been mowed and it was all covered with frost. I know that yesterday as I was leaving a huge truck was there, so I guess I wasn't all that surprised.

What did surprise me though was a fox that I could see on the path across from the field! I think it was a red fox in winter gear, but not 100% sure. As soon as it saw me it disappeared so I stayed on the path near the entrance and watched the birds in the brush. There were white throated sparrows foraging on the ground ahead of me. Then all of a sudden I caught some movement in the field and looked up. There was the fox leaping around in the field. It looked like he was jumping and dancing and running around in circles. It reminded me of a cat playing with its toy. When I looked at it through the binoculars I saw that it was actually playing with something! I was horrified that it was a bird, but it was a rodent of some kind because it definitely had a fleshy, long tail. I guess it would have to be a mouse or a rat or something like that. It played for quite a while and then disappeared into the woods between the upper gardens and the path to the soccer field. I walked the field looking for the rodent, but couldn't find it.

As far as birds are concerned,  I saw all the regulars today. Lots and lots of blue jays, song sparrows, goldfinches, tufted titmice, juncos, chickadees, robins, cardinal (picture right), a male house finch and several nuthatches in the same location I saw them in yesterday.

The light was beautiful as it shone through the trees.