Who is getting fed

All winter I hauled rabbit food through the deep snow of the backyard, and dumped it under a pine tree at the edge of the woods in an effort to help the rabbits through the long and very snowy winter.  I had the pleasure of watching the rabbits snacking away under the tree.

Then the snow melted and I put the trail cam in the backyard.

I was surprised to see a fox in the yard, the first of those since I've been living here.

So, then I thought, I suppose those fox came and ate up all my nice rabbits!

Of course, I have raccoons in the yard almost everynight too, 

and in an attempt to keep them away from my bird feeders, 

I dumped a bag of cat food under the pine tree.

and I'm sure they were also eating the rabbit food, but probably not the rabbits.

 I know nothing about foxes, but they kind of fun to see.

If there would be kits born, that would be a treat.

I think they have fleas, but since my pets stay indoors, that's probably not a big deal.

But I am pretty sad about my rabbits, I was looking forward to a yard with many bunnies.

Then, much to my surprise, I saw a rabbit on the trail cam.

So, maybe my rabbits are wily and have avoided the fox?

Time will tell I guess,

but the fox seems to be a daily and nightly visitor to the feed lot.

I see the raccoons and the foxes nearly cross paths under the pine.

And for variety, the rare deer browses through the yard.

I see a few of my hosta have been chomped, just the leaves, the stems left as scraps.

 I have not seen this spike buck in person, he sure is a pretty chestnut color right now.

 The fox seems to get the most action from the trail cam.

He must stop and pose often.

I'll be on the lookout for fox kits,

and will be keeping my fingers crossed for a crop of bunnies to survive.

Mother Nature can be brutal sometimes and living in the woods puts it right in your face,

that survival of the fittest deal is hard on my heart.