Monday, 25 July 2011

My Foxy Friends

I've had some orange furry visitors in my garden for the last few months: a whole family of foxes.  There's mum fox and her little foxy brood (the most I've seen in one go is seven).



I feel quite privileged to have the little blighters ambling around.  They have an established routine which happens most days:



5-7am: Mum stands around whilst the kids frolic round the garden

7-9.30am: If it's nice weather time for a bit of sunbathing

9.30-3pm: Nap time.  Everyone back to the den.



3-5pm: Back out for sunning, frolics, play-fighting and also digging for worms

5-9pm:  Back to the den for, um, tea I guess

9pm onwards:  I head out with my jam sandwiches and leftovers and feed my brood.  Sometimes I catch one unwares in the grass and he gives me a funny look before slinking off.  Normally I head back to the house and watch them eat.

The rest of the night: Woken up periodically by foxes screeching.  They come right up to the house and sometimes steal the shells I've put outside the kitchen window.



Apparently the young will move out at the end of July.  I'll be sad to see them go, but at the same time it will be nice to have my garden back.  I haven't mowed the lawn for weeks.



It's been great seeing the babies mature - their coats changing from brown to orange.  They all have super white tips on the ends of their tails.

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