My Vixen

... just got back from our Night Patrol and can report that My Vixen looks in remarkable condition considering the attack of sarcoptic mange which ravaged her coat last winter/spring. Her coat and tail have regrown completely and she is building up her fat reserves for the rapidly approaching winter. Also, Meadow Vixen seems to be fine after sustaining a very nasty wound to her flank a couple of weeks ago. There was a gaping hole in her side which looked suspiciously like a bullet wound and there was a real fear of infection getting in. However, with the much-appreciated aid from Derbyshire Fox Rescue, the wound has healed over and she took food from me a couple of nights ago (only appears two or three times a week). All in all, good news all round.

A bit of excitement tonight

... in the top meadow as I mistook a young dog fox for my Meadow Vixen and held out a piece of chicken, assuming that if it wasn't her, the animal would shy away ... but on this occasion, the young fox had a rush of blood and lunged forward to literally snap his jaws on the chicken. His teeth caught two of my fingers and I feared that he had broken the skin, but on inspection, I was ok. Most unfortunately, the old black Sanyo cam failed yet again and is now becoming most unreliable and will have to be replaced.
Earlier in the evening, I did manage to get a tiny bit of footage of the 'Ghost Litter' which I'll post next.

MEADOW VIXEN AND MY VIXEN

... both vixens showed up and the former took another antibiotic tablet. My Vixen was much more relaxed and took food gently and waited while I saw to the badgers.

Badgers and discipline do not go together and I'm having more and more trouble with them chasing the foxes to try and steal their food. If you run after a badger, they'll scuttle away but come back as soon as your back is turned whereas if you were to chase a fox, they'd disappear never to return ...

Chest now very sore and hopeful that tomorrow will finally see some improvement ...

The return of Meadow Vixen

A most gratifying and worthwhile cliff patrol with Mr Cruisedog and just reward for going out not feeling that good. Three nights ago, Meadow Vixen appeared with a gaping hole in her side - which looked suspiciously like a gunshot wound. There was little blood and she could run without limping. I immediately contacted Derbyshire Fox Rescue who sent me (by return post) antibiotics to tender in case of infection.
After being missing for three nights, she appeared tonight and the wound appears clean and on the mend.
My Vixen (much older animal) was also back after appearing very frightened and though still a little spooked, took food.

Breathing now quite laboured walking uphill and will see my doctor later today for antibiotics of my own for what is almost certainly a chest infection.

A most welcome return of My Vixen

... missing for some time, My Vixen appeared tonight to take food but was very nervous. Mr Cruisedog showed his usual discipline when a badger scuttled past him.

TONIGHT'S PROJECT UPDATE 00:05 Sunday 29 Aug

The Ghost litter turned up - but without adults so they never got within range of the static cam positioned in the hedge - darting in and snatching food thrown to them and off in a flash ... Rome wasn't .... though

Saturday Aug 28 - 21:00 hrs CMT
I'm going to try and get footage of the elusive 'Ghost Litter' later on this evening. A regular vixen comes to feed in my garden high up above the bungalow. She has a litter of about four - all of which are very light coloured like their mother. They are all small and I suspect arrived later than usual because of the sarcoptic mange outbreak last winter.

They rely heavily on their mother and one or two 'aunties' as if they approached other larger, stronger foxes, they would be attacked.

I'll set up the infrared cam and see if I can get a few shots of them - IF they appear, that is ...

A strange night

Neither Meadow Vixen - missing now for three nights - nor My Vixen - very rare as she's only missed three nights since early June ... showed up and the top meadow was eerily devoid of life.

There are several fox 'territories' within the environs of Maidencombe - some as small as a quarter mile apart, but there's a communication network much like our own telephone or internet system that joins all territories up. So if the 'word' goes out, all foxes (and sometimes badgers, who also pick up on the telegraph system) will disappear - where, even I or Mr Cruisedog know not ... I may fathom it out eventually, as I've only had experience of foxes and badgers for about 35 years ...

Running a slight temperature at present and retiring early as not 100 per cent ...

NOT TOO BAD

... out on the cliffs tonight - quite heavy drizzle but mild with light winds. Meadow Vixen appeared after a three night absence and My Vixen was waiting at her usual location ... her fur is growing back really well now and she should be able to withstand another winter now. Both vixens took food gently without snatching - a sign that they were unstressed with all around them. The old badger boar and his entourage of sows ambled up to their usual place and grazed contentedly on peanuts, digestive biscuits and bananas. All in all, a satisfying night for all of us ...

The cat and the pheasant

The pheasant family is back, but where's dear old Dad?

A young fox stops to stare

... Meadow Vixen takes food by hand and then a young fox looks over - trying to understand this strange human ...

PIGEON V MAGPIE V PHEASANT

... drama at Cruisedog Towers as a humble pigeon takes on all-comers for the rights to the seed tray ...

Meadow Vixen slow motion clip - early hours Mon August 16

... Meadow Vixen sees off a competitor for food in decisive fashion ... clip slowed down X2 to capture the charge

Meadow Vixen taking food

... in the early hours of Friday August 13th ... this is probably a first year breeding vixen and in excellent condition ...

The cubs are running

... Just got back after an hour and a half doing our rounds. The new generation of fox cubs are everywhere now and all are healthy. It truly is an amazing sight seeing them streaking across the fields ... competing with each other and of course establishing the all-important pecking order.

All badgers are healthy as well though the old badger boar wasn't out tonight, leaving the young sows to guzzle down the peanuts at their leisure.

Close and humid out and both Mr Cruisedog and I sense moisture in the air ... a band of showers moving in from the south west later.

I've got some vid clips to post a bit later in the week and I think I've caught the young foxes on film ... and of course, the first footage of Meadow Vixen taking food by hand ...

Meadow Vixen

'Meadow Vixen' approaches ...

... it's taken time and patience and tonight I finally got a vid clip of her taking food from my hand ... I've named her 'Meadow Vixen' as opposed to 'My Vixen' - the other older vixen which has been taking food by hand for a long time now. 'Meadow Vixen' has recovered very well from the Sarcoptic Mange after I treated her for over a month with medication from Derbyshire Fox Rescue ... this is probably her first breeding season and she doesn't appear to be taking food to her cubs whereas 'My Vixen' is taking most of her food to her two cubs ... as you can see, she is a very pretty vixen indeed ...