ROM & REMY THE FOX KITTENS - A VERY STRANGE STORY

Posted here for you Carla ..

KANDAA'S SECRET

For a few weeks now, Kandaa the vixen and the only fox that takes food by hand, has been acting most strangely.  She appears in my garden at the allotted feeding time and devours her food.  Then, after our Night Patrol around the combe, she invariably is waiting for me as So Cruise and I return, some distance from my garden.

However, I have recently observed her taking the food into the same field, pausing to look back furtively at me to ensure she's not being followed or observed.

Well, tonight I discovered Kandaa's secret.  The first clue was a young fox appearing in the lane in front of us and immediately fleeing into a field.  This in itself was unusual as virtually every fox and badger know of our existence and habits.

Around the corner, Kandaa was sitting, awaiting our return.  She advanced and gently took the piece of chicken from my hand, turned and entered the usual field.

This time, I waited for a few seconds, tethered So Cruise my collie cross, and entered the field with my head torch turned off.  Moments later and I heard the usual sounds of  a young fox calling for food. 

It then dawned on me that Kandaa was still taking food to one of her offspring but away from the scrimmaging and fighting of the other first season foxes.  A very sensible choice as all the other mothers and aunties (vixens who care for other cubs/young foxes other than their own) are constantly plagued by foxes several months old who constantly beg and steal food rather than forage themselves.

Kandaa,  a beautiful and wise vixen ...

KANDAA & THE LAMB BONE

A leftover treat for a favourite vixen - the humorous antics of Kandaa as she eyes the huge lamb bone carefully.  Foxes are very wary of bones as they imagine they might be still alive and can fight back!  Note the classic paw in the air - the classic animal sign of uncertainty.

AUTUMN RUSHES IN THIS WEEKEND

Braced for the first of the bad weather sweeping in this Sunday - marked decrease in teperature, rain and strong winds.  As well as Becbla, my blind vixen, I have to look after the old badger boar (who recently lost sight in his one good eye) and a blind badger sow.  The three animals are now dependent on me to get food.

ONE-EYED BADGER BOAR MIGRATES

Two nights ago I was startled to feel something nudging at my ankles whilst I was at the top of the combe on the Night Patrol.  Looking down, I was surprised to see the old one-eyed badger boar who has hitherto been situated at the bottom of the combe.  He was also there to meet me early hours today, giving rise to the theory that perhaps something may have changed for him.

I surmise that he's moved because of a younger, more aggressive boar.  I cannot recall seeing a mature boar at the top of the combe - only the terrible badger sow twins and a couple of other younger badgers. 

CANDAA TAKING FOOD BY HAND

Open wide

As can be seen by these two stills, there's a measure of trust between human and fox.

The snatch

CANDAA TAKING FOOD IN MY GARDEN

A very short vid clip of Candaa the vixen taking a piece of chicken from my hand early hours today.

VIXEN APPROACHES

Early hours May 27th - only put off by the camera, the vixen is very close to taking food from my hand.

THE BADGER BRUISER TWINS AND A MEADOW CHASE

So Cruise, my collie cross and I have just returned from a particularly arduous Night Patrol around the combe.  The main order of business is to ensure that the blind vixen, Becbla, is fed whenever she ventures out into the meadow.  She usually positions herself strategically away from other foxes and gobbles up a chicken thigh and then runs off with another thigh before another fox or badger approaches.

Tonight was mayhem.  The two badger bruiser twins (virtually identical first year females from the same litter) burst on the scene, scattering two 'regular' foxes and, most unfortunately, Becbla.  It was going to be a long night.

Becbla circled and came back.  I threw her a thigh but no sooner had she reached it, two other foxes rushed up and snatched it from her.  Unable to defend herself, Becbla always drops the food immediately. This happened twice more and then I decided enough was enough and chased all foxes and badgers from the meadow.  Then it was a waiting game.  I turned off my head lamp (not really needed with clear skies and a virtual full moon) and crouched down.  Fifty yards away, So Cruise waited patiently.

It was over twenty minutes before Becbla cautiously ventured out.  She got  a chicken thigh and departed, eating on the run.   I managed to throw one more thigh from 30 yards away which she also got safely.

By the time we completed our Night Patrol, two hours had elapsed - a long night yes, but also a satisfying one.

Ready to go

It's been bitterly cold out on the cliffs the past few nights and the wind chill from the easterly wind is brutal.  Here I am wrapped up to brave the conditions early hours this morning.

'One-eye'

Photo taken early hours today.  The blind eye (his left) can be seen bloodshot.  Debatable how the injury occurred but probably fighting with other foxes.  One Eye is fortunately a dominant fox and is shown due respect.  He approaches with confidence to get his nightly treat.

Becbla my blind vixen

Becbla continues to wait for me in her usual place.  Early hours this morning she managed to eat one chicken thigh before other foxes arrived on the scene.  Throwing some food to distract them, I then managed to get another chicken thigh to Becbla which she seized and fled down the meadow.

BECBLA SURPRISES

Becbla my blind vixen had been missing for over a week and I was beginning to think that she might have succumbed.  So Cruise and I had reached her usual meadow and again there was no sign of her as I scanned the area with a high intensity beam.  A lone fox was watching from the safety of a hedge about 30 yards away.  I had a lamb bone with plenty of meat on it left over from feeding So Cruise but I wanted to give it to one fox otherwise there was bound to be a fight over it.  There was excellent visibility with clear skies and a virtual full moon overhead.  I swept the meadow for a last time and left the lamb bone for the lone fox to enjoy.   I moved away and turned after a few strides to observe the fox take its prize.  The fox was there but as it turned I was astonished to see no reflection off its eyes (from my head lamp) - it was Becbla!

The lone fox was nowhere to be seen.  Becbla found the lamb bone and wheeled immediately with it in her jaws and retreated rapidly down the valley.   I watched her progress with my high intensity head torch until she merged as one with the hedge about a hundred yards away.  No other fox was in the vicinity.

The question was how I hadn't spotted her as she must have been within 20 or 30 yards of me all the time I was putting food down.  She has a whitish front which stands out well.   The cunning of her concealment had fooled me completely.  A very pleasing result to know she is still well.

'One-Eye'

One of my favourite foxes, seen here resting up in the day.  

First footage of 2013

Taken early hours of today. 

Hail in the combe

The weather didn't look that promising early hours today so I left So Cruise indoors and set off on the Night Patrol alone.  It proved to be a wise decision as I encountered a fierce hail storm and quite strong winds at the top of Brim Hill.   Becbla the blind vixen was sheltering in the hedge and managed to snatch a chicken thigh and retreat before another fox rushed up to grab the second thigh I had thrown.

Further down the combe a bedraggled one-eyed badger boar approached and mindful of the cold snap consumed a banana, two chicken thighs, a handful of peanuts and three chunks of chub.  This should keep him going for a few days at least.

The weather had improved by the time I got back but I was pretty wet and chilled. 

Becbla, my blind vixen

A brilliant start to our Night Patrol as Becbla, my totally blind vixen, was waiting for us in plain view some 12 yards away and no other foxes nearby to harass her.  She hadn't been seen for three or four nights and I had two large pieces of lightly cooked beef with me in case she made an appearance - two in case she didn't get the first piece.   She started to retreat and I hurled the meat towards her.  She wheeled on hearing the impact and started to search for it.  A few seconds later, and she still hadn't located it and was on the point of departing so I threw the second piece towards her.  This time, to my relief, she found it and with ears flattened and belly close to the ground, scuttled away with her prize.  I went forward to find the first piece of meat, slightly puzzled why she hadn't found it as it seemed to have landed near her.
The reason became evident when my light fell upon it ... it had landed on top of a small tussock of grass, just high enough for Becbla to have missed it as she scented with nose to the ground.   She won't appear for several nights now - the piece of meat was enough to feed So Cruise for two nights!

The one-eyed badger boar returns

Badgers have been very thin on the ground since before Christmas so I was pleased to see my favourite badger approach for a feed early hours Saturday.  The celebrated one-eyed badger boar was given special attention and I waited patiently as he ate two chunks of chub, two chicken thighs and a handful of peanuts.  Satisfied, he dived into the hedge making a crashing noise as he bulldozed his way through.

Familiar faces on show

Though I do not keep nightly written records,  I am aware if one of named foxes goes missing for a number  of nights.  Familiar faces on show early hours Wednesday included One Eye (two nights in a row) and  Becbla (blind vixen) who managed to snatch a chicken thigh thrown to her and escape without being spotted by the three other foxes nearby.
Farther down the combe,  Limper (had an infection in his front paw - gradually improving) approached and was followed closely by two unnamed vixens.
Dear Croucher (knows he will get noticed by lying down with front paws folded and head on the ground - a sign of trust in the animal kingdom) was in his usual place and was duly rewarded.
Nearing the end of our Night Patrol,  a relatively new fox was waiting for us in the same place I had seen him a fortnight or so ago.  I threw a scrap of chicken but both So Cruise and I had to retreat a fair way for the animal to advance and retrieve the morsel.
As has been the case since before Christmas,  no badgers were abroad in the combe.

Return of One Eye

'One Eye' - my one-eyed dog fox  had been missing for a few days and I was becoming a little concerned of his welfare. More worryingly,  foxes hadn't been seen in my garden when I first ventured out for our nightly meander.
It was therefore reassuring to see One Eye appear on the wall when I called.  He stood some way off and I threw him his portion of meat which he seized before retreating into the hedge.
A few minutes later two vixens arrived and it seems that the usual pattern of behaviour has been resumed.
No sign of Becbla, my blind vixen - or indeed any fox in her usual roaming area.  The presence of half a dozen rabbits was confirmation that there were no foxes in the immediate vicinity.   Not a single badger on view anywhere on our rounds.  Not a breath of wind and the visibility was excellent with generous amounts of clear sky.