The dog fox beat me to it this time. If I put the food out too early the magpies and crows steal it, too late and the foxes are already there. This was 9pm, so an hour or so before dark, and he was eating the sunflower seeds that had fallen from the bird feeder. He was being scolded by a magpie in a branch above his head and was very bothered by it.
I noticed some blood on his chest. I am not sure if it was his or from prey - probably his but he seemed fine. The next night he was back again and it had gone. Foxes get a lot of injuries, usually minor, as you would expect from climbing through or over barbed wire fences and the like in the dark.
He was eating for about 20 minutes before sitting down for a scratch and then wandering off to look for something else to eat. I waited for a few minutes before putting the food out and no doubt he, or the others, were back to polish it off after I had gone to bed.
I wonder if the fox didn't want the magpie giving away his whereabouts? He has quite a grey colouration on his back and tail. Sure do enjoy your beautiful photo captures, Chris.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the foxes around here have the same colouring Florence, but I suppose they all come from the same stock. The dog foxes in particular over the last few years have been rather grey. We'll see how he looks after moulting.
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