Fox Tales... Nap Time.

She may try and look mean, with her best "I'm a big bad wolf stare", but really she's a softy.

It's just an act to keep the cubs in line, now that they're getting to that 'boisterous' stage.

Sometimes they're very cheeky, snatching food from right under her nose. If there is something you want to avoid, it is getting between a fox and it's food, I have the bite marks to prove it!

Out of the two remaining cubs, this is the most confident one, always getting into trouble. He's wet from playing 'catch the moth reflections' in the puddle.

A bit of running around through the tall grass soon left him dry and fluffy again.

His sibling is a little smaller, but can hold its own in a squabble over nosh.

When they were young there was a third cub, but nature doesn't favour all, and now there are just the two of them. It was a cold, hard winter, and foxes vary their litter size according to conditions, it seems even three was too many.



Once the cubs had had their fill of food, they went off to practice their hunting skills by terrorising the beetles attempting to make the already perilous journey across the desert of the country lane.

There's nothing like sitting on the warm tarmac under the stars, sharing a few raisins with a friend.

A combination of tiredness bought on by the incessant attentions of the cubs, and the brightness of the camera flash, soon caused sleepy eyes to appear...

... and 'nap time' quickly followed.

Fox Tales... Full Circle.

It's been over a year since I first met this little fox, just a tiny fox cub playing on the road. Now fully grown we've learnt to trust each other. I visit every night and we've become friends. She'll sit by my feet, untie my shoelaces, pinch my hat, jump onto the bonnet of my car, and take food so very gently from my hand.

I'm even trusted not to steal the skillfully hunted shrews carefully laid down side by side for a special occasion.

With a distinctive whimpering sound, she called one of the cubs out, encouraging it to investigate the couple of shrews at my feet. I felt honoured to be introduced.

Nervous at first, a bit of food laid out on the usual 'feeding rock' soon had it bounding around with confidence.

Mom was obviously really hungry and was keen to eat in peace for at least a little while. The cub kept its distance fearing a disapproving bark.

Eventually though the smell of the food got the better of it and he crept ever closer.

Mom looked despaired for a moment, she was obviously very tired...

... but then decided to share.

There was a bit of extra food put down that night to make things easier.

The foxes have come full circle, with cubs once again wrestling in the grass outside the abandoned cottage. I feel privileged to be included in this extended family, fascinated by the complexity of fox society, and eager to learn more.

The Burly Bird gets the Worm...

The weather this week has been somewhat confused. You'll set off in sunshine, only to be caught out in a blizzard, shortly followed by sunshine as if nothing had happened.

The sunny weather lured me out onto the water, but after only a mile kayaking it greyed over leaving me to paddle the last 4 miles in freezing rain.

The fox hates it too, you can tell. When there is a clear starry night , he's a happy chappy, but he really isn't keen on the wet weather. His little paws get soggy and he's quick to grab his food and take it somewhere dry to hold up.

Even the Buzzards are finding it difficult. Their main prey around here are rabbits and they don't tend to come out during the day when the weather is bad.

They're having to resort to low level ambush hunting of hedgerow birds and eating worms from the newly ploughed fields. I didn't realise Buzzards ate worms, and for a long while wondered why they were sitting out in the muddy furrows. They must have to eat a lot of worms to feed a bird with a wingspan of over a metre!

No Bacon is Snow Fun...

Snow at last! I love the snow. Other parts of the country have had a covering several times already this year, but we've only had the brass monkey temperatures without any of the fun stuff...

In the early hours I set off along the deserted roads. A quick stop at the petrol station, followed by a couple of drifting laps of the traffic island... the joy of 'left foot braking'!!!

The sparkly, powdered country lanes were beautiful in the glare of the rooflights. Spangles of silver danced in the beams as the front of the car flicked snow off the hedgerows. Driving sideways is so much fun!

I went to see my friends, the foxes. The usual chappy was there (you can recognise him by the nick out of his left ear).

He was somewhat impatient, and wouldn't stand still long enough for me to properly focus the camera. He's learnt how to open the car door, and was soon wrestling with the locked handle... he's going to break it one day!

On the menu tonight was, 'Bacon Surprise'... bread soaked in bacon fat but without any bacon... Surprise!!!

Still it smelt nice.

Very nice...

In fact it tasted so yummy that it made you forget that your bottom was getting cold on the snow.

"I wonder if there'll be raisins for pudding?"... I'm sure we can manage that.

Winter Coats with Ermine Trim...

The local lanes were flooded. I had to take a long winded route to get to see the fox cubs and was running rather late. He waited watching for the car door to open...

... but it was all taking much too long. Impatiently he jumped up on the bonnet peeking in to see what the delay was.

Scampering back and forth, he first stared at what I was doing, then leant round to see if the door was opening yet.

Then it was the cute 'feed me' face that he has perfected so well. The hunting hasn't been so easy with the fields so flooded and a little bit of extra food seemed to go down rather nicely.

I still call them cubs, but really they are all grown up. They are getting their winter coats, thicker with silver flanks, and their brush is really full (the perfect duvet and pillow to curl up with).

Homeward bound took me along a dark lane where suicidal rabbits play 'chicken' with the car, so I kept my eyes peeled for any potential jay walkers. In the distance, one particular rabbit stood out from the rest, fluorescing in the spotlights.

As I got closer, the peculiar running style looked more like that of a Stoat. Brilliant white, I first thought it must be an Ermine (a Stoat with its white winter coat), but it wasn't cold enough and all the local Stoats are still in their dark summer fur.

It was clear as I got out of the car that this wasn't a wild animal. It was an albino Ferret. It wasn't afraid of humans and allowed me to get quite close. As soon as I attempted to corner it , it would play 'hide and seek' down the numerous rabbit burrows.

I placed some food down a rabbit hole, and left. The next day I went back with a box and some thick leather motorcycle gloves, but it was gone. Lets hope it keeps itself out of trouble, there are plenty of foxes and owls that would find the poorly camouflaged chappess an easy snack, and it's not used to the wicked ways of the wild...

Don't bee silly...

One of the little guys has been a bit silly. It's a steep learning curve when you're young, trying to figure out what's good to eat and what's not. This weeks lesson... don't eat bees!

Although he's got a bit of a lump, it certainly doesn't stop him from enjoying a more palatable meal. I know that the rabbit is in a Sainsburys bag, but sorry to disappoint you, they haven't extended their 'Taste the Difference' range. For those of you that like to store their rabbits under a wiper blade for safe transportation, it is always prudent to remember not to operate said wiper. You may be surprised at just how high you can throw a rabbit simply by switching on your wipers at 60mph...

How to eat Snails...

Like unruly youths, the fox cubs are hanging out in the street looking for mischief.

Ears tipped forward like radar dishes, anything that crosses their path is scrutinised for food potential.

Doesn't matter what it is... moths, beetles, worms, spiders. They even eye up the Tawny Owl that sits on the top of the telegraph pole. There is a strange combination of rivalry and mutual curiosity.

Occasionally there is a treat, but mostly we go off foraging.

Snails taste nice, and are easy to catch but getting them out of their shells is proving a difficult skill to teach.... "OK, I'll show you how to do it ONE more time. Crunch it lightly with your teeth, roll it around with your paw like this to take off the sharp bits and voila! Yummy snail meat."

"No, no,no. Don't just bring me another one. YOU'VE got to do them!..."

Although they know that cars on the road are dangerous, and run away and hide when they approach, they've decided that my car while parked is really interesting.

There's chewy bits...

... and that funny 'mouse hole' thing at the back. It smells odd, and you can stick your paw down as far as you like, and you still can't reach the end...