The Fox and the Ducks - A Tale to Tell

A Misty Morning Encounter: The Fox and the Ducks

In the delicate haze of a misty Okotoks morning, the pond near my home became the stage for a quiet drama. I can picture it now, as if I were there with my camera: a family of mallards—a mother, father, and their fluffy ducklings—gliding across the still water, their soft quacks barely breaking the silence. The surrounding reeds, damp with dew, frame the scene, while the faint outlines of trees fade into the mist. It’s a serene moment, the kind I love to capture, but nature always has a way of keeping you on your toes.

Enter the fox, a sleek figure painted in shades of rust and cream, its bushy tail low as it slinks through the grass. In this watercolor vision, the fox pauses at the pond’s edge, its amber eyes locked on the duck family. There’s a stillness in the air, a held breath. The mother duck senses the danger first—her head snaps up, and she lets out a sharp, urgent quack, herding her ducklings closer to the center of the pond. The little ones paddle faster, their tiny legs churning the water, while the father duck positions himself between his family and the shore, feathers ruffled in a brave display.

The fox doesn’t move, not yet. Its ears twitch, catching every ripple, every sound. In the wild, a fox like this one—perhaps the same young one I spotted in my backyard earlier today—wouldn’t hesitate to seize an opportunity. Red foxes are clever hunters, and ducklings make an easy meal if they stray too close. But the mist adds a layer of mystery to this moment. Maybe the fox is weighing its odds, unsure if the chase is worth the cold dip into the pond. Or perhaps it’s already eaten, its hunger sated by a mouse or vole from the nearby woods.

For now, the tension holds—a fragile balance between predator and prey, each aware of the other, each playing their part in nature’s dance. It’s a reminder of the raw, untamed beauty I love so much about Okotoks. Whether I’m watching ducks at the pond or foxes in my yard, there’s always a story unfolding, one that keeps me coming back with my camera in hand.