Posts Tagged ‘red fox’

15 Apr

Foxes are BACK!!!

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , , , , , .

I was talking to my best friend on the phone, came in the computer room and sat down at the computer. A little fox came out from under the barn. My speech then turned to jibberish. The card wasn’t in my camera. The camera wasn’t on the right settings. I was repeating … have no idea what.

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I finally managed to say “baby fox.” By that time an adult joined the little one.

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They played a little bit. The adult sensed me and looked straight at me. The young went under the barn.

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The adult, which was a male, trotted to the south,

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stopped and looked to the east,

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to the west,

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and trotted on out of the yard.

We didn’t see the fox family last year until May 9. This young looked smaller than the first ones I saw last year.

I know young foxes are called kits. For some reason I’m not inclined to call them that … maybe I’ll switch. When they’re out playing, nursing, being curious, feeding on what dad brought in, I get so engrossed, so excited … well you can see why.

 ”Stay tuned.” I plan to share my fox experiences.

20 Mar

Looks Promising

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Things are looking promising for the fox family to den under our barn this year.

I’d been working in the yard this afternoon and sat down to rest. Orange movement in the shrubby corner of the back corner of our 2-acre yard caught my attention. About the same time my presence caught its attention. It went back the way it came. At first it looked like a cat we have in the neighborhood.

It wasn’t long before it headed back toward the barn under more shrubby cover.

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The pair raised 4 kits in their den under our barn last summer. With them being so aware and on alert at all times, I had to take all my pictures through the picture window in my computer room. They would even see me in the house.

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Three were nursing here and the other one … maybe it was already full.

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I couldn’t fool them, even when in the house. She came to the water garden for a drink and let me know she knew I was watching her.

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Buffy knew they were under there,

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and wanted me to help get them out of her territory.

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I took pictures of the family from May 9-24 last year.  According to my Mammals of Illinois book, foxes breed late January and in February.  Gestation period is 51 days, and the young are born in late March or in April. Since we live in southern Illinois, I figure they breed toward the end of March.

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  I sat down at the computer yesterday afternoon, looked out the window and there was a fox coming up from the back corner of our yard! I managed, in all my excitement, to get 3 pictures. It’s cautious actions before going under the barn let me know it sensed me.

18 Jan

Manifesting Foxes

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

As some of my followers know, we had a family of foxes den under the barn last summer. Yesterday, I started going through the BIG file of fox pictures, thinking about doing another blog about them. I thought that might manifest them returning this year.  I even told my husband last night that I’d like to do something to cover/hide the 2 barrels of oil.

This morning, I sat down at the computer, looked out the window, and a small fox went across the back back of our backyard and into the shrubby thicket in the corner. It wasn’t long and a larger fox came around from behind the barn, looked under the barn where the den was, and left the yard going south. Two other foxes were in the yard a little later at different times.

These are a few of the 488 pictures I took between May 8 and May 24 last year.

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This was the first picture I took of them. Then I had to clear items from my garden area, since all pictures were taken from inside the house.

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Little sibling rivalry here.

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Meal time. The male would bring the food in

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and then take it away when they were done.  The little ones didn’t eat much on it. They were still nursing.

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I couldn’t fool her. Four other pictures had her staring straight at me too. Here she was at the water garden for a drink.

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Looked like an afternoon romp.  Maybe the fourth was napping.

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The prey looked about the size as the kit.

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She was always on alert.

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Three were nursing. Wonder if the fourth was full or waiting its turn?

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Almost done with their meal.

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Something was gettting to close.

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They looked like they were enjoying the sun’s warmth.

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Another morning out for a short time. Notice the blue on the left. They apparently started raiding garbage cans and bringing scraps “home.”

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This was one of the last pictures taken of the foxes.

———

Maybe if we all look forward to seeing the fox family, it just might bring them back to den under the barn again.

31 May

Last of the Fox Chronicles

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , , , , .

I’m sad to say the fox family is no longer living under our barn. I knew this was coming, because they only use dens for raising their young. Here are a few pictures from the few times I saw them last week. I didn’t see them every day, and some times it was so dark, I couldn’t tell how many were out. I start the pictures with one taken before last week, one with good light. It was taken when I was seeing them daily.

A morning romp with mom

She had to hold her hind leg up to nurse the 2

They were active this evening

Like I said, they were ACTIVE that night. Three in the picture.

Look at the size of her tail!

Not wound up yet

Notice the white tip on the one’s tail. One morning 3 of them were tumbling around together. Their tails were wagging all over the place. I kept finding myself watching the white tail tips. They showed more in the low light than they would in brighter. I figured there must be a reason for the white tail tip, like distracting prey while the “business” end gets ready.

Shows size comparison between adult and young.

Another stare

The last picture I took

I knew they would be leaving anytime. I had a repeating image of the whole family together, walking out of our yard with me watching. It didn’t happen. The last time we saw one was when we could barely see a head sticking out from under the barn. Since we’re obviously in their territory, and since they successfully raised young here, I hope they return next year to raise young under our barn.

And I SO enjoyed sharing my fox experience.

21 May

Fox Family Pictures

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , .

The foxes have changed their habits slightly and are making picture-taking more challenging. They come out most mornings for a short time between 7 and 9 a.m. Then they stay close to the barn and in the shade. My picture window faces east, and  window glare can be a problem.

Our weather’s turned hot again and that limits their time out in the afternoon to almost none. My husband has an archery target at the back edge of our property. He usually shoots until it’s too dark to shoot. Since the foxes have been here, he and I both come in early to give them time to come out and play … and us a chance to watch. They didn’t come out last night. The night before they came out when there was just enough light to see them. So, here are pictures from this and yesterday morning.

These are from yesterday (Saturday) morning.

Nursing for breakfast

She stays alert at all times

This is an every morning activity

Play is their middle name

I took the rest of these pictures this morning, starting at 8:15.

Looked like ear cleaning. This was the second she did this to.

Has hold of Mom’s tail

Notice that both feet are off the ground

16 May

And More Fox Pictures

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , , , , .

Yesterday, Tuesday, was a slow-fox day. She and 3 little ones were out for a short time midmorning. They had a squirrel for breakfast. I obviously didn’t see all the fox activity during the day, because I went out later and found remnants of a fast-food bag. They’d eaten the scraps. Then this morning she had an empty chili can.

She had ? for breakfast

I worked in the garden last night. Buffy didn’t move while I worked. She had high hopes.

The family didn’t come out last night until it was to dark to take pictures. This morning they were out from 8 – 8:45. She appeared to be eating something. It ended up a young one that she was maybe grooming.The most I saw of them at one time was 4. There are 5 in all. They played, they ate, one nursed a little, and there was a lot of pouncing going on. She was always on the watch and trotted off 5 or 6 times.

Whatever breadfast was, it had long bones

The food is always brought in for feeding and then taken away from the den so it won’t attract predators.

Always on alert

Whole lot of playing going on

One winner?

They always appear to have lots of fun

Sure do wish I could pet them

One is nursing

Back toward the barn

13 May

Even More Fox Pictures

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , .

I only saw 2 of the young this morning and began to worry. Then this afternoon, my husband saw all of them out. Oh my!!!

Young nursing

She has 5 young

This one laid out flat on its back and was being groomed

12 May

More Fox Family Pictures

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , , .

I just have to share all the fun and excitement I’m having with the fox family living under our barn. They came out around 9 a.m.  yesterday morning (Friday) to play before napping until early afternoon. At first I thought there were 3 young, then yesterday I watched 4. (I do have to take the pictures from inside in my computer room, through a double-paned picture window. This affects the quality somewhat.)

Morning play time

Play time

Playtime

Keeping an eye out … for maybe a big dog?

Who’s top fox?

Then it was nap time again until evening romp time. The male brought dinner in. I couldn’t tell what it was until he carried it off. It was a groundhog.

Dinner time

Had groundhog for dinner

The following pictures were from this morning’s (Saturday) play time. Yesterday they stayed closer to the barn. This morning they ran around  and around and around, making it difficult to get pictures. At one time I counted 5 young. Yesterday, the highest number was 4. They were fed again, but I couldn’t tell what it was. They’re back under the barn sleeping as I write this. They came out last night right after we came in. I was weeding, and my husband was shooting his bow. The foxes know our routine.

Frisky this morning!

Breakfast arrives

Dad drinks out of water garden

Finishing breakfast

“It’s my turn to bring home the “bacon”

Always cautious

Hope you enjoyed your glimpse into the family life of red foxes. They sure are at the top of my priority list right now!

10 May

Young Red Foxes

Posted by naturesnippets in Mammals. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Today’s May 9. On May 1st Buffy and I went out in the backyard early in the morning. As we approached the gardens, she took off for the barn. I saw a young fox. Buffy got it around its middle. It yelped. I yelled and Buffy dropped it. This all happened so fast. Thought I caught glimpse of another young one too. The one I saw, right before Buffy got it, was tannish brown and held its tail straight out the back. I hoped Buffy hadn’t injure it.

After that encounter I assumed the foxes wouldn’t stay in the yard. I have seen foxes walk through on rare occasions. They’ve never denned here before that I know of. There wasn’t any sign of activity until the 7th when a faint unpleasant odor came from under the barn, and I found 4 bluejay feathers.

Then last night, while working in the yard, I noticed feathers scattered around out from the opening. All were white, most were small and a few might have been from a wing. The odor was much stronger.

Entrance to den under the barn

Evidence of dinner

Then this afternoon I went out to cut rosemary for zucchini bread and made a loop over to the barn. An animal gave a quick deep growl. I came back in the house. Luckily, I got a phone call a little later and walked in here to the picture window. There was activity at the barn!! ( Please excuse the quality of the picture. I took it through a double-paned window at a distance of 48 yards.)

2 young foxes

Two young red foxes came out to survey the area. They didn’t wander any farther for some reason. Since dens are used mainly while raising young, I have no idea how much longer they will remain here.

An adult fox’s body only measures 22-25 inches long. In Illinois Red foxes breed late January and in February, with the young born 51-52 days later. They usually have 1 or 2 other dens  in case they have to move their young. Their habitat includes open grasslands, ditch banks, unmowed field edges, and brushy areas adjacent to wooded areas. Besides birds (mostly chickens) they also eat small mammals, insects, carrion and fruit. The young will stay with their parents until fall.

Now all I have to do is figure out a way I can do my housework from here at the picture window.

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Well, I didn’t get this posted yesterday as planned. I walked in this afternoon to check for foxes, and one was out of the barn! It only stayed out long enought for one picture… and, darn, I left my garden cart where it was between me and the fox. The picture has better quality because I didn’t zoom in as much and then cropped the picture. Not to mention that yesterday I was practically hyperventilating. Now I’m going to wear a path from the kitchen to the picture window!

Isn’t it cute?

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