Cape May Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Palm Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Common Yellowthroat Wilson‘s Warbler Canada Warbler Chipping Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln’s Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Dark—eyed Junco Rose-breasted Grosbeak Bobolink

Red-winged Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Purple Finch Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch House Sparrow

THE SOUTH SIDE FOX: by Bruce Pigot

In the spring of 2002, I became aware that a tame patch fox had set up its headquarters on my property, just adjacent to the Mount Stewart Wildlife Management Area. It went about its affairs and I in no way interfered with it. It was used to people and would exhibit great delight if I talked to it. On inquiry, I was informed that it was a well known feature of Mount Stewart SOUTH. It was not to be confused with the North Side Fox, a black fox with a white tip to its tail, that lived in Mount Stewart North.

_ Many times, usually early in the morning, from daylight until about 7:30, it returned from nearly nightly trips to Mount Stewart, passing through my yard. Once during the day, it came out of the woods to where I was working in the yard. It curled up and had a five minute nap before going back into the woods. At other times, it would either follow me part way on daily trips around the Ducks Unlimited Impoundment, or it would join me at some place along the trail. On one trip, I could see its nose, ears, and eyes peering out from behind the dyke. I was afforded an unique opportunity to observe a fox’s relationship with the environment.

On May 15, 2002, the SOUTH Side Fox followed me as I walked up the trail on the west side of the Ducks Unlimited Impoundment in Allisary. It exhibited to me its expertise in tolling a flock of 70 scaup ducks that were about 50 yards off shore. The fox ran along the shore, and appeared to act as a magnet to the scaup. They swam towards the fox in a heads up convoy and, in no time, they were within 3 to 4 feet of the fox. The remains of a dead scaup on the trail seemed to suggest it had capitalized on its expertise.

May 22, 2002. The fox came out of the woodlot trailing a rabbit that I had previously seen half circling my small woodlot and hedge. The rabbit zig-zagged at every hop. The fox was able to trace every zig and zag, until it came to the asphalt driveway by which the rabbit returned to the woodlot. The fox lost the scent when it arrived at the driveway. If the smell off the aSphalt masked the rabbit’s scent, it appears to me that the rabbit knew what it was doing.

June 16, 2002. Two dead gaspereau, one on the shore and one on the bank partly eaten, and the presence of the fox soaking wet suggested that the fox had learned to fish. The presence of gaspereau at the water schooling in small numbers among the tops of the rough cord grass so that their dorsal fins and upper tail can be seen above the water, and the fact that their splashing can be heard a considerable distance, was a dead giveaway to the fox. On June 19‘“, the fox dug one up that had been buried in the grain field.

On July 12‘“, 2002, a rabbit crossed the road down to the Wildlife Management Area. The South Side Fox was close on its trail.

Author’s Note: I know there are no rabbits on the Island, it is the varying hare. T he patch fox is a phase (colour) of the red fox. The black fox is pure black with no sign of silver in its fur and the one referred to above is the only one I ever saw.