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The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge's popularity begins to peak with visitors and photographers during the late summer. It's a time for anticipation of the fall and winter months and the arrival of thousands of migrating ducks and geese. Shorter days and cooler temperatures will signal the colorful change in the refuge woodlands and upland habitat and sights and sounds will abound.

The month of August will bring increasing numbers of migrating shorebirds on their southward journey along with the early migrating songbirds and warblers to fill the refuge woodlands. Duck numbers will begin to increase with the arrival beginning of both Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal. Cardinal flowers, rose mallow and meadow beauties are just some of the flora in bloom around the refuge ponds and upland habitat during this late summer month.

The cooler days of September will see the duck numbers continue to increase and the first travelers of the Atlantic Flyway population of Canada Geese will begin to arrive. Late migrations of songbirds and shorebirds will be present and the Tickseed sunflower, goldenrod and Joe-Pye-weed will be in-flower.

The Red Fox Prepares for the Colder Months of Winter

The days are getting shorter, and the weather is getting cooler. But for the red fox, that is just fine. It likes to hunt before sunrise and after sunset, anyway, and its thick, soft coat keeps it plenty warm. In fall, a red fox hangs out mostly alone. The babies have grown up and are on their own. So now is the time to focus on food. That’s because, even for a master hunter such as a fox, winter can mean slim pickings and winter is just around the corner.

The Red Fox is one of those critters who does well in winter conditions. In preparation for winter, foxes grow an extra-thick undercoat of fur that covers their entire body. In addition, they grow extra fur on their paws that helps with the snow and ice. They also pack on extra fat for the winter, which acts to both keep them warm as an insulating layer and gives them energy when food becomes in short supply.

Another adaptation used by foxes to survive winter is a heat exchange arrangement in their legs. The warm arterial blood coming directly from the heart runs right alongside the cool venous blood returning from the paw. The heat of the body is exchanged from the arteries to the veins before it gets a chance to be lost to the environment through the paws. This means the paws are kept at a lower temperature than the rest of the body, minimizing heat loss from the paws that are in contact with the ground.

Late Summer is a Great Time at Bombay Hook

As the fall months approach, my wife and I try to get up to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge at least once as this is one of our favorite times of year to visit this wonderful refuge.  The temperatures are turning a bit cooler as the end of the summer season approaches, and the refuge foliage is starting its color change in preparation for the colder month’s hibernation.

Red fox activity was high in both the early morning hours and in the late afternoon on this visit to Bombay Hook.  The refuge paths were busy with wildlife fans and photographers as the young foxes were high in activity, working the roadside brush in search of a meal or in some cases, just resting in between their hunting activities.

This last image below was such a fun portrait to capture, as this young Red Fox posed so beautify in the early morning light. The Bombay Hook refuge path was heavy with photographers and patrons as we watched this Red Fox work his way through the roadside foliage. He was just down the embankment, slowly working his way toward myself and the other visitors. I decided to move ahead of the fox and move down the embankment myself to try and get low and match the fox’s level. He was crouched low, almost walking with his belly grazing the ground. He stopped suddenly, then slowly raised his head and body into the morning light. I was able to grab this capture as he rose into the light.

As usual, this was another wonderful trip to Bombay Hook for my wife and I and it was so wonderful to spend some time with our Red Fox wildlife friends.