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.

Becbla the blind vixen - A Christmas Story

Christmas Day began early for myself and So Cruise as we set off for our Night Patrol around Maidencombe just after midnight. There was an extra present in my back pack - a generous slice off So Cruise's Christmas dinner - a leg of lamb. In a fairytale world, its recipient was to be Becbla, my totally blind vixen who depended on me for food. She had gradually lost sight over a period of months, but fortunately had known me when sighted and had taken food at quite close quarters. I was only hopeful that she would be able to take this prize as many factors conspired against her on a nightly basis. She no longer came close, preferring to wait some way off and relying on me to throw her food from anything up to 25 yards. If other foxes were in the vicinity, they would dash up and snatch the food from her jaws as she was unable to defend herself. Her only advantage was her sex - a blind dog fox would have little chance of survival and would be attacked and killed. I had seen her running alongside younger foxes and was fairly sure she had been an 'auntie' in the upbringing of these younger foxes. We arrived at the designated field system just before 1 am and So Cruise, my faithful collie cross, sat and waited as I set off down the side of the hill to see if Becbla was in the vicinity. A quick sweep with a high intensity beam revealed her lying down some 60 yards away and she retreated into a hedgerow as soon as the beam illuminated her - being sensitive to light. Turning my head torch off, I advanced slowly towards the spot where she had been. About 30 yards away, I stopped and waited, knowing from experience that she would probably emerge in a few minutes time - though perhaps in a different area. I was aware of another fox watching me from higher up the field which didn't help matters. If it saw me throw the meat, it would be on it in an instant. Several minutes passed and I was on the point of giving up when the clouds cleared and the area was lit up by a 90% waxing gibbous moon overhead. Then suddenly, I spotted a movement in the hedge about 30 yards off - at the extreme range for throwing accurately. It was now or never, and I threw the meat with a whispered prayer. As the meat was still arcing in the air I whirled and shone my head torch straight at the other watching fox. Dazzled, it turned and fled. Wheeling, I could just make out Becbla searching for the meat which she had heard hit the ground a few feet away. She probed the ground for a few seconds and then I saw her lift her head with the meat in her mouth and she then immediately turned and disappeared with her Christmas meal. The whole episode had seemed to be only a matter of a few minutes, but when I looked at my watch I was surprised to see that it had lasted all of twenty minutes. I hastened up the hill to find So Cruise still waiting patiently for me. As we continued our journey, I reflected on the magical quality of the night and the oh so real Christmas Day story of Becbla, the blind vixen. Her taking of the lamb treat the best Christmas present of them all ...

The blind fox

Our Night Patrol has become much more difficult with one of my foxes which is now completely blind. I noticed a marked dimming of one of its eyes a few months ago and then it failed shortly after.  To my great concern, the other eye followed suit until sight was lost about three weeks ago.  Fortunately,  it had the memory of me and had approached quite close to take food.   The problem now was with the other foxes.  As soon as I threw some food to the afflicted animal,  a fox would 'mug' it, snatching the food from its mouth.
One night, I lost patience (never happened in over 35 years) and chased the offending fox around the field.  This was mightily effective - up to a point.  Not only did all the other foxes retreat the following nights, but the blind fox also was scared by my antics and did not approach as close as before.
Nevertheless,  Mr Cruisedog and I have a workable plan.  I have two head torches, one giving a broad, diffused pool of light and the other a piercing long distance (180 lumen) beam for spotting animals far off. Usually, the broad beam will pick out all animals close or far by picking out their reflective eyes but that doesn't work with the blind fox for obvious reasons.  I use the long beam to pick out the location of the blind fox but have to immediately switch it off as the fox must still have some sense of light and retreats.  Then it's a case of how accurately I throw the food to the fox - if it doesn't land within about two metres, the fox cannot locate it.   So far, the fox has been fed every night for the past week, so fingers crossed.  It probably will not survive the winter, but I would hate for it to starve to death.

Set fair for the winter

Heavy rain Thursday and Friday night saw notable absentees from our nightly rounds.  The one-eyed vixen (lost sight in one eye after injury sustained in either a fight or trailing bramble), in fine condition, thought it prudent to stay under cover and the virtually sightless fox (unsure how - seems to have lost sight gradually) was discouraged from venturing out.
However, all was well when Mr Cruisedog and I went out tonight (early hours Sunday) with both of these animals appearing.  All foxes and badgers are in good condition to see out the winter - the main blessing being the absence of sarcoptic mange in the fox population this year.

Autumn approaches in the combe

Badger and fox population in good order as autumn approaches in the combe.  The one-eyed badger boar is well as is the one-eyed vixen which resides close to my garden.  A limping fox has been observed the past few weeks, a recurring ailment I have noticed with foxes.  Taking their lead from the one-eyed boar, other badgers are bold enough to take bananas from my hand.  Hope to start getting some video footage to post soon.

New foxes in the combe

The latest batch of fox cubs have been evident at one location of our nightly rounds for some time now.  Most have dispersed to forage for food by themselves but two rather malnourished foxes still remain close by their parents and 'auntie' vixens, seemingly unable or unwilling to go it alone.  Only in the last week or so has one very young fox (approx. 4 months) picked up scraps of chicken thrown to it rather than waiting for another fox to take the food and then chase after it screaming to be given some.  I'll try and post some footage in the next few nights.   Badgers are all healthy and quite troublesome as they advance fearlessly to grab food from the foxes after wolfing their own supply down.  Now with food freely available, I will be cutting down on distributing food, only giving to the more timid or malnourished animals.  Fingers crossed, no signs of mange in all my foxes the past winter and now.