Jill is the Star Trek fan of the two of us (I despise the fantasy genre), but even I can appreciate a Spock look alike when I see one.
Especially if it is a fox.
My love of foxes has been well documented. As has my poor luck in photographing this beautiful animal.
But given the amount of time I spend in the Lake Area of Yellowstone National Park, even I’m amazed that I never encountered one of its most famous inhabitants until last summer.
The red fox of Lake hangs out in an area that stretches from the Lake Hotel and Lodge complex to the turn-off to Fishing Bridge. And he’s seen with incredible regularity. So long as I’m not driving past.
Last year, while patrolling for grizzlies, we saw a few cars stopped at the Fishing Bridge turn-off and the fox finally decided to grace us with his presence.
Once I set-up my tripod and got my camera focused on him, I looked through the viewfinder to find the fox staring back at me with a Spockian eyebrow.
How odd.
He soon ran past my camera and down the road.
We drove ahead to a spot where, if he kept on the same trajectory, the fox might re-appear. It was a successful guess.
The fox approached a tree where he clearly had previously buried a kill and started eating. This wasn’t remarkable. What was unique was his expression. The Spockian eyebrow.
Though foxes rarely stay still for longer than thirty seconds, this fox sat for a good twenty minutes. And that eyebrow never went down. Not in one photo.
Or, I suppose, he just has unique facial features.
No matter. The Lake Fox, as he is known to most photographers, will now forever be branded the Spock Fox in my book.
Live long and prosper, my friend.
– D. Simon Jackson | GhostBearPhotography.com
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I love your photos and your awesome sense of humor! Thank you for sharing.