Wednesday 12 October 2016

Late Night Visitors

We live in a residential area, not too far from town (about 10 minutes in the car) and also not far from being in the country (about 15 minutes or so, we're also lucky enough to be only about 1/2 hour from the coast too). There are houses all around, but also one of the best parks in the country.

This little bit of background is leading to me telling you about our late night, more early morning, visitors. We were laying in bed and could hear the most awful noise, it was a kind of bark, but sounded like the animal was in pain perhaps wounded. It was coming from outside, so we hopped out of bed and looked out the window, just not knowing what to expect.

It was a fox, walking straight down the middle of our suburban lit up road at around 3am. Bold as brass, making an awful barking noise every few steps. It was amazing to see and I felt truly privileged to be able to watch it from such a close position.

So, at almost 3am this morning when I heard the same noise again, I knew it would be fantastic Mr Fox visiting. It was amazing, he stood outside our house, barking intermittently down the road. It appeared that he was watching something, we couldn't see anything from our limited position at the window, but he stood there for around 10 to 15 minutes, then another one appeared, walking towards the first one. I was worried were they barking to warn each other from their territory, perhaps fight? Apparently not, as a cub soon followed.

I managed some photos, not the best, but you can make the foxes out. The first 2 are of the cub.




As this is the second fox that appeared just before the cub, I wondered if it's the mummy fox? The cub just sat and watched while the mum scavenged about looking for food I imagine?




I could barely move from the chair after sitting there for over 20 minutes watching these glorious animals, but it was definitely worth it and if I'm lucky enough to hear them again, I shall be watching again. I think it's such a shame that these poor creatures are being pushed further and further into urban areas. I know many people think of them as a nuisance, but I felt honoured to be able to watch them.

Take care
xxx









35 comments:

  1. Hi Cheryl! They ARE pretty! We see them more often in the winter. One day I looked out into the back garden and saw one leap over the split-rail fence. So gracious and lovely.

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    1. They are such beautiful animals, I wonder if they live in our local park xx

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  2. Hi Cheryl we have a park right across the road, and I have seen them there in the day time, there are more urban foxes than we realise.xx

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    1. Yes I think there are, especially as we build on more and more land xx

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  3. What is worse is when urban foxes are caught and relocated to a rural area, they starve to death as they dont have the hunting skills.

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  4. I often see the odd one walking across the back field behind my house. Like you I feel privileged to see them. Wonderful that you managed to get some photos.

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    1. I was so glad I had the camera, it was nice to be able to show our daughter the next morning xx

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  5. Cheryl, great photos and description! It is surprising where foxes are being seen. I stepped out of my car early one morning and nearly ran right into one. We looked at each other for 5 seconds (felt like 5 minutes!) and it ran away. So glad you were able to have this experience.

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    1. How amazing, the foxes stopped and looked at us and it was so exciting xx

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  6. Amazing! The first time I saw a fox was last year at the holiday place we stay at. They came down along the beach and amongst the houses at night and people fed them. Like you, I just sat and watched them in delight. A fantastic experience seeing them like that. Love their pointy ears and their long bushy tale. I know the farmers think of them as vermin but it is not often we have the privelege of seeing a wild animal up close.

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  7. They're pretty bold around here. If we didn't have chickens I'd be fascinated too.

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    1. We had chickens for quite a few years and luckily they were always OK xx

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  8. We've had several fox-sightings running through the garden this past summer, I love to see them, but we have two cats, and that makes me afraid ...
    ~Jo

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    1. We have cats and small dogs, I think these particular foxes were just scavenging though xx

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  9. What an intriguing animal encounter. I never knew that foxes could be such loud creatures.

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    1. I had no idea that they made such a dreadful noise xx

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  10. We must have them nearby, as my lovely Black Lab keeps rolling in fox poo on our walks!

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  11. They are pretty animals and it was nice that you got to see them. : )
    I used to see them all the time where I used to live.

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    1. This is the first year we've seen them down our street xx

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  12. How lovely to see the cub. They can be noisy animals, can't they. We get them around here but I haven't seen them walking down the street as bold as brass as you did.

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    1. I thought they'd slink along the walls, not walk brazenly down the middle of the road xx

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  13. Hello Cheryl - isn't it so special to be able to watch our night visitors in this way? Well worth getting out of bed for! We often have them in the garden, and have been lucky enough to see some deer there, too - but the vegetable garden wasn't too happy about that!
    Hope you are having a good week - and aren't too tired by your nightly escapades!!
    Keep warm!
    Lynda.

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    1. No deer around here, but they must be amazing to watch xx

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  14. Cheryl, I'm so happy for you! That would be such an amazing thing for me to experience. Hope they don't bring back fox hunting!

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    1. Fox hunting is horrific, they were glorious animals, I hope they come again xx

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  15. Great you got some photos. We live in the suburbs and some urban foxes visit our garden.....sometimes up and about as late as 9 in the morning. I love watching them too.

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  16. I remember hearing the same noise in the dead of night when I was little, and it frightened the life out of me! I've since looked into it and I believe it's the noise the vixen makes when she is calling for a mate 😍

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  17. Such handsome creatures. We saw one when we were driving home from town the other night, again right in the middle of the city.
    Lisa x

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  18. During some re-building of the school next door, we had pairs of foxes roaming around in the daytime. It was so unusual to see them actually in the sunshine, usually we see them at dusk running across the roads and heading for the woods nearby.

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  19. We have coyotes around my house and every once in a while they get going int he middle of the night and scare me to death with their yelps and high pitched sounds, I swear they are killing something and having a big party.
    Meredith

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  20. One of my favourite animals. A vixen used to rear cubs under a garden hut just over the wall and it was wonderful to see them playing in the evening. Sadly a new owner pulled the hut down and spoilt our fun.

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