Thursday, 25 November 2021

Fox News


The foxes are now looking wonderful in their new winter coats.  They are generally here only one or two at a time so it hasn't been easy to check on who is still in the family group, added to which this year's cubs are now full grown.  I was away for a short while so they didn't get fed for a few nights recently.  Getting home late in the evening I put out some food and this was the scene about 20 minutes later, filmed on the iPhone.  The dog fox is at the back with two of this year's cubs.


Next time I looked the dog and one cub had gone and a smaller cub and another with a dark (perhaps dirty) face had arrived, so that was five foxes within the first hour.


Not included were the alpha female, who is a regular, and the two yearling vixens.  I haven't seen them for a few weeks so they may have moved on.  Also not included were another smaller cub (there are at least two) and one with a very distinctive scar on the haunches, both of whom are also recent regulars.  I think the family group is at least 7 and maybe up to 10 strong at present but it will get smaller as some of the younger foxes disperse.  I presume the alpha pair are planning to hold the territory next season, which would be the vixen's third and the dog's second.

Although the 2021 cubs look fairly alike (except that they come in two sizes), I can generally recognise individual foxes. As an example this is the alpha male

and one of his offspring from this year.  Although they are alike the dark facial markings and the colouring on the foreleg are quite different.

This is the alpha female who I recognise at a glance from her muzzle shape, body shape and ear position.

And this is one of the larger full grown 2021 cubs.

Here are a few more family portraits, first the alpha female and male and then some of the youngsters.







2 comments:

  1. Great photos, Chris! As you say, each has a unique look. And their winter coats look wonderful, thanks in part to all those peanuts.

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    1. It is interesting, but perhaps not surprising Florence, that some definitely look more like their father and others more like their mother.

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