Fox Trot Trail

Fox Trot Trail by Earl Plato

Track time at Marcy Woods with former area naturalist Ernie Giles on the most eastern trail there. On my map I drew a trail and called it Fox Trot Trail. Why? That early spring Ernie pointed out the tracks of Red foxes leading into the wetlands to the north. Numerous fox feces lay on the trail. That was my cue and this narrow path that lead by the other Marcy pond, I labelled Fox Trot Trail.
Later that year in a vale on the Upper Trail at Marcy Woods I saw a beautiful red fox vixen with her two young ones frolicking. It was a memorable sight. The ground was clear so no visible tracks. Here is an account of Ed teale’s nature log dated February 23rd. “ The night of the fox. Where did it go? What did it do? What adventures did it have? About half past nine on this clear winter morning I set out on on a little adventure of my own. I begin following all the shifts and windings of the fox’s trail. I read as I go the story that was hidden by the night but is recorded by paw prints in the snow.” : Writer’s Note: Teale wrote hundreds of more words describing his fox tracking activities. He ends saying, “How many many miles farther had its feet carried it before the dawn had come?”
Writer’s note Teale walked several miles that day following the fox prints. I spent a good part of a morning following the tracks of a cottontail in our back fields on Garrison Road. That day I eventually caught up to te little guy. He bounded away but his traks in te light snow had given h[m away. Try animal tracking this year. Remember no cougar tracks.