Now that the pond has sprung into life, the time spent waiting for foxes turns into opportunities to photograph the frogs and newts. I'm not sure whether this will make the foxes more wary, but in previous years my quiet movement around the pond hasn't been a problem. One of the by-products of a lively pond is the choice of lens. From sitting around outside with a 70-300 zoom I'm now padding around with the 105mm macro lens. 
Newt
There were several frogs in the pond, but my favourite for the evening turned out to be this fellow. He was settled in one of the few clear areas of the pond (we have far too much weed in it). The shots were taken with a very small aperture (f/25 and f/32) in an attempt to get as much of the body in focus as possible.
Frog @ f/25
Frog @ f/32
While I was taking these shots I kept an eye out for the fox, but nothing doing. It was a little later that we went back outside, this time keeping still and well hidden. The recent visitor has always emerged from the rear of the garden, but tonight while my eyes were fixed firmly ahead a fox slipped in from the front, went up the garden steps and trotted across the lawn. The shot isn't perfect (I'd set the camera focus manually at where I had hoped the fox would appear and this was a reasonably near approximation of the distance), and I managed only a single shot as the fox moved away. It's not the same (very healthy) fox we've seen before. Unfortunately this one is suffering from mange, and doesn't look in a particularly good state 🙁 Unless it becomes a regular visitor there isn't a great deal that we can do to help, but we'll keep watching and if there is an opportunity to assist in some way we will.
Camera note: all shots taken with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens.
Vulpes vulpes
19 Feb 2009Nice to see some pond activity. Shame about that fox's condition indeed.
FrogBoots
19 Feb 2009Wow! GREAT frog shots! Thank you! :happy: :up: And I do hope the poor mangy fox will return. What could you do to help if he does?
gdare
19 Feb 2009At least this one doesn`t seem to be too afraid/shy of you. If it returned there is a chance for treatment, right?
Words
19 Feb 2009Darko, yes we can treat it if it returns on a regualr basis, but sometimes they're just passing through. I don't think it saw we were there. It just walked straight up the garden without pausing and took no notice of the camera when the flash went off.
Words
19 Feb 2009Vulpes, yes the pond is great at this time of year. It shouldn't be too long until we get spawn. We'll have to see if the fox comes back and take it from there.
Words
19 Feb 2009FB, glad you liked the frogs 😉 As for the fox, if it were a regular visitor we could attempt to treat it with medicated food, but to do that safely and successfully you need the fox to be regular and confident with you (to make sure the right fox gets the food). We've done this before with good success, but on those occasions the foxes were already comfortable with us (or at least came through on a regular basis).
SittingFox
19 Feb 2009The webbing on the frog's feet is great :up:
It's difficult to know what to do when you see a vagrant fox with mange. Still, perhaps he'll stay put. That's a nasty raw area on his hip.
Words
19 Feb 2009Adele, I think with the fox it's got to be a matter of trying to monitor movement (tricky though that is). No sign this evening (yet), but there's only so long it's possible to keep watch.
Flying Red Fox Blog
20 Feb 2009Nice froggy pics. 😀 Hope the poor foxy gets better soon, poor thing!
I saw a couple of Foxes on the way to Southampton airport last Friday at 5am wondering around lol. 😛
cakkleberrylane
20 Feb 2009Great shots!! The frog is my favorite. Good luck with your efforts to help the fox.
Words
20 Feb 2009Thanks Lois!
Words
20 Feb 2009Mark, early morning is good time to see them, but I'm not about to get up at 5.00 a.m. :zzz: