More Fox News

Interpreting fox behaviour isn't always straightforward.  It is all to do with ears and tail and body posture.  In the spring, when the vixen was suckling her cubs*, the dog was content to let her feed first and he often lay on the lawn to wait his turn.  That is no longer the case and he now makes sure they all know he is top dog.  This encounter started as I was watching the cub feeding with its mother.  The dog fox suddenly raced in to displace them and take over the food.  The vixen retreated in a very submissive posture and the cub went over to her for reassurance.

The cub went back for a few biscuits but you can see the dog wasn't happy (ears back, tail curled).

The vixen had moved round to the other side and the cub again went over to her again (the dog's tail is curled again).

Suddenly the dog snapped at the cub (too quick for the shutter speed on the camera) and sent it packing.  Look at his tail in the air.

And then he snarled at the vixen (with his tail curled).

Sensing that he was in a proper bad mood she retreated a short distance.

The cub was still hungry and decided to try its luck again.

This time it was accepted but it was wary and kept a safe distance away.

In contrast, on another night the dog fox fed quite happily with the cub.

I have also seen a second cub for the first time.  This one has a full tail, so is easily recognised.  So far it has only turned up once while I have been watching but it may also come after I have gone to bed.

* Marc Baldwin's website, Wildlife Online, says that a lactating vixen has double her normal calorie requirements, so perhaps the dog fox senses that.