Fox Tales... The Wascally Wabbit

They might look cute, but one of their favourite pastimes is pulling the heads off small fluffy creatures. On the way to visit them is a fast section of road. Here, many rabbits fall victim to their own over confidence that they can outrun a speeding car. The corpses are quickly pounded into the road until only a velvety outline is left. It seems a waste. If I come across a fresh body I'll take it for the cubs.

Not willing to share the cabin with a bleeding body, I'll prop it up outside at the bottom of the windscreen. Usually they just look like they are asleep. It wasn't until I came to the dark country lane and switched on my rooflights that the full horror was illuminated. Its eyeball was hanging out and flapping in the wind, tapping on the glass....AAAargh!

Still, the fox cubs didn't seem to mind. "I wuv my wabbit!.."

Cute Coot and the Terrible Terrapin...

The little chappy was FURIOUS!!! He'd spent the time building the nest, collecting the sticks, twigs, crisp packets and polystyrene cups, and weaving them into a floating masterpiece.Now there was some... something sitting in it. Actually, what the hell is that thing?!It didn't matter he thought. If it wasn't a lady Coot, then it shouldn't be in there.

It certainly wasn't anything he'd seen before. Foreign he thought, definitely foreign. That must be why it didn't understand the usual Coot calls and warnings.

Well, it better not be there tomorrow, or... or.. or..., well, it better not be there...

Note:- I assume this Terrapin is a discarded pet. They're certainly not indigenous. I'd love to know if it's managed to grow to this size since it's been released, and how it manages in the winter. The ever warming climate should work in its favour.

Fox Tales... 4

The summer nights have become pleasantly warm. Sometimes it's nice to just hang out with the foxes in the lane.
Food is plentiful at the moment. There's loads of baby rabbits, rodents, snails, and there's always a yummy moth or crunchy beetle when you fancy an in between snack...
... So there is time to play.
Of course the occasional nice treat taken from the hand is welcome too.
Help, I'm surrounded!
Curious more than anything, they like to see what the 'strange man with a light on his head' is going to do next.
Some of the cubs are more gentle than others. This is the one that bit me a while back. He's still not quite sussed out which bit is food and which bit is hand. Here he's having a chew on my knuckle... careful now.
The foxes love to lie out on the warm tarmac. Maybe it's a fox thing because it didn't seem that comfortable to me.
Still, it means you can get some nice close shots. This one in particular (the 'bitey' one) is fascinated by the camera. The lens whirring in and out, the focusing light, even the flash doesn't seem to phase him.
Distracted by the haunting call of a Peacock, these chaps are always on the lookout for an easy meal.
As the sun begins to rise, they suddenly become sleepy. Time to head back to the deserted cottage for a nap...

"Computer says no..."

The computer was having none of it. My video camera was happily announcing that it was 'connected to PC', but the computer wasn't recognising the fact. I held the camcorder up to the moniter so that the computer could see what it should be looking for. I twiddled the cable, waggled the plug, pulled it out and replaced it with great precision. I switched the camera on and off, each time it announced with glee that it was... 'connected to PC'... He's a good little camera, always keen to please.
After 5 minutes of swearing and some violent threats involving a penknife and a USB slot, success! A jolly box appears... 'Mass storage device... what would like me to do?' Don't play silly games with me Mr.Computer, remember what happened to Mr.DVD Player when he tried being awkward? He wasn't so cocky after I'd crammed toast into his loading slot ,then kicked him around the garden in the rain... You have been WARNED!!!
Anyway, here's some videos of Cosford Airshow I uploaded...

Cosford Airshow...

It was a baking hot day, and the Cosford Airshow was on. We managed to miss all the traffic from the record turn out by heading through the backlanes to my secret parking space only 5 mins walk from the airfield. We didn't go inside the base, but set up just outside on the fields. You're not really meant to be there but the Airforce turn a blind eye to the little band of squatter enthusiasts.
The Red Arrow display team appeared early in the day, they always give an impressive show.
It's incredible how close they get to one another. Some of the spectators in the car park were having difficulty getting into spaces twice the size.
There's nothing like the smell of the smoke from the back of these, a mixture of BBQ and oil refinery!
Selfishly, the Airforce had sent a lot of the proper military jets to a foreign country where the locals had been throwing pebbles or something equally troublesome. In their place were a LOT of stunt display teams. They're OK, but you can have too much of a good thing.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on these guys, their flying was pretty amazing, if only they didn't have to keep on stopping to wind the rubber band up.
Standing where we shouldn't had it's advantages, the planes coming perilously low over our heads. Much lower than they are allowed to fly over the crowds inside.
I don't think you should be waving at me mate... look where you're going... TREE! Oh dear, some one fetch the Balsa wood glue...
Some of the classic WW2 planes displayed. The Lancaster bomber, Spitfire, Mustang and this Hurricane. You'd think they'd treat these rarities with kid gloves, but they really throw them around... good stuff.
I couldn't figure out if this jet was bigger than it first looked, or if the pilot was exceptionally small... or even a child. Have a closer look at the photo, he looks lost in that cockpit/ conservatory.
This is how schoolboys draw jet fighters. Swept back swings, big air intake and pods mounted under the wings. One of these schoolboys grew up and joined the design team at USAF and made something beautiful.
The Typhoon is so quick, I've never managed to get a proper picture or decent video of it... ever. I suppose that's the idea. If you can't even keep it in frame on a camera, then the chances of shooting it down are pretty slim. Click on the picture and enlarge it, and you can see that the pilots have got cool green helmet visors.
This is what drew the record breaking crowds. The last flying example of the awesome Vulcan bomber. Nothing prepares you for the amazing view, as this wafer thin plane turns revealing that distinctive delta wing. The 4 Roll Royce engines are deafening. Covering your ears won't help, as the sound jibbbles your innards. It sets car and house alarms off for miles around!

Remember... as always, clicking on the photo embiggens the image. (Yes embiggens is a word... probably)

Fox Tales... 3

The little chaps are starting to look a bit more adult. Although they are naturally wary, they'll sit at a distance and watch.
Occasionally venturing closer in the hope that there will be something tasty in the off.


Tonight was their lucky night. Yummy stuff on a spoon...

I was sure to keep my fingers well clear after a previous incident where they were innocently mistaken for food, resulting in a painful bite that took a long time to heal. They are normally so gentle, taking food from your hand with unsurpassed politeness... accidents happen, teeth are sharp!

Just to make sure that even the shy ones got at least something, a few handfuls of dog biscuits were thrown into the undergrowth. Contented crunching echoed through the still darkness...

Fox Tales...2

Yes, it was nice and sunny, but there wasn't much to do. Mum was away hunting, and the others were inside being boring.
...but what was this?! 'Someone' had hidden little bits of food everywhere while they'd been sleeping...

Fun, fun, fun!!
There were some play fights as usual.
Some of the food was really well hidden.
It was a good way of practising your foraging skills...

Eventually all the crunchy bits were found.
For the smaller chaps the excitement and running around had taken its toll.
A nap in the sunshine seemed like an excellent idea.
The warm sunshine started to make even the most boistrous sleepy...
...sleepy...
...sleepy!
A quick snooze... mom will be back soon with something fun to play with.

A yummy taste still in its mouth and trying to stay awake.

Nap time...

DON'T FORGET, IF YOU WANT TO SEE A FULL SIZED IMAGE THEN SIMPLY CLICK ON THE PICTURE

Fox Tales...1

It was raining. It had rained ALL day and the cubs were getting bored.
The outside world always looked so exciting, but when you've got so much fluff to get sodden, the long wet grass may as well be a lake.
Nightime came, the skies cleared and it was time to go exploring.
Something smelt nice...
... but where was it?
OOooh found it! 'Someone' had left a big pile of food. Now if only I could get to it before the others spot it...
... too late! Dinnertime always ends up in a scrap!