Catching up with the foxes

It's about a week since I've posted any news of the foxes, so this is something of a catch-up post.
Last Saturday, the dog fox came by

And again on Sunday

Monday saw the 'not so shy' vixen put in an appearance

Tuesday was interesting. No photos, but late in the evening we saw a fox down near the back door. It may have been the 'nicked-ear' vixen, but I was concerned to see that her brush was in a fairly tatty state and there seemed to be some dark areas on her rear left flank. My worry is that this may indicate mange. I couldn't be certain. She was only there for a moment and I was looking out through a window, but if it is mange her general reticence about being in the garden will make her difficult to treat. Of course it could be an early moult, or fleas, or a myriad of other reasons why she was looking untidy.

No sightings on Wednesday.

Thursday it was the dog fox again, sitting down for a scratch

This time he left via the hole in the fence

Technically, no sightings on Friday, though in the early hours of Saturday morning the 'not so shy' vixen was back.
Looking fine

And then on Saturday morning proper, I looked out of the window and, lo and behold, peeking out from behind the pond was the nicked-ear vixen.

She's not easiest fox to photograph and that's probably the best of the few photos I managed through the window. Which is fine, except that I really did want to get a better look at her to see how her flanks were. Which meant going outside and – inevitably – watching her retreat from the garden. Her brush did look mildly tatty, though not as bad as I'd feared from the brief glimpse on Tuesday. The coat on her right flank may also be thinning slightly. It looks darker than usual (the under pelt showing through). I'd really like to get a better view of her to see what's going on.

On an entirely different note, I'm struggling to identify this US Army aircraft that flew over the garden today.

Camera note: The photos were all taken with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens with the exception of Monday's photo of the 'not so shy' vixen which was taken with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens, and the 'nicked-ear' vixen and aircraft shots from today which were with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS.

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This Post Has 20 Comments

  1. Words

    17 Feb 2008

    I'm not yet too worried about the vixen, but would like to see her showing up more frequently. That makes things so much easier to deal with. As for the aircraft, it's almost certainly a restoration job in private ownership. We have all sorts of ex-forces craft flying overhead here. We're just a few miles from an airfield and they tend to head out in our direction. Usually those painted in forces livery have been given permission somewhere along the line.

  2. BitzyMe

    17 Feb 2008

    I hope it's not serious with the Vixen. Time will tell I guess.

    The plane.. that is very unusual. It's a much older plane.
    Actally I question whether it really is an authentic USArmy plane.
    It looks like one that someone might have restored. Maybe the Air Force was having an exhibit of some old planes at one of our Air Bases?

    This is a puzzle!?!

  3. BitzyMe

    17 Feb 2008

    Plane.. Ahhhh… ok, then that makes more sense.

    I've been on Army Bases here and there and usually there's an Air Base not too far away. I lived for 3 years in Bad Kreuznach Germany.
    I really loved it there. And BOY do I miss the food! So darned good!

  5. BitzyMe

    17 Feb 2008

    I think you've hit the nail with the hammer..
    Third one from the top.

    😆 yes.. da plane'

  6. Words

    17 Feb 2008

    Well spotted Wing Commander Sprogger! I've received some more info on it from the aero-photo forums and according to the 2002 edition of Air Britain UK register, the beast in question is a Piper L-4J, G-BDCD masquerading as 480133/B-44. The CAA, however, lists it as a Piper J3C-65. So a Piper certainly and we're down to the fine detail of model number. There seem to be various shots of it on the net describing it as the L-4J. From what else I've been able to check it was built early 1940s.

  7. Vulpes vulpes

    17 Feb 2008

    Enjoyed the foxy catch up! Fingers (and paws) crossed it's not mange.

  8. anonymous

    17 Feb 2008

    Jane writes:

    I've just been led to your blog by The Black Rabbit over at Blue Grey and I know I'm going to enjoy reading your posts. Foxes and woodmice… what more could you want? I'm in the USA at the moment, but I've just been told by the person looking after our house that the foxes seem to have moved in under the shed again this year (birthing den). Last year there were five cubs. So this year I have a new CCTV camera to catch any action. Can't wait to see what happens in your garden. Jane @ http://urbanextension.wordpress.com

  9. Words

    17 Feb 2008

    Vulpes, paws crossed here too!

  10. Words

    17 Feb 2008

    Jane, Thanks. I see that you have a good number of mouse posts on your blog. I'll look forward to seeing any video you capture of the foxes as well. Nice blog.

  11. BitzyMe

    18 Feb 2008

    Is the mange something they catch from other animals or is it due to environmental conditions?

  12. SittingFox

    18 Feb 2008

    I saw a fox over the meadows a few days back who appeared through the lens to have a completely bare back. Once I examined the pictures, I wasn't so sure. Hope for the best with the vixen :up:

    I like the shot of her peeking over the pond! 🙂

  13. Words

    18 Feb 2008

    Bitzy, sarcoptic mange is caused by a parasitic mite. Foxes are prone. The mites get under the skin and can cause devastating damage. Untreated it's very likely to be fatal as it allows infections to develop. There's some debate about urban foxes being more prone, but the research suggests that rural foxes are just as likely to suffer.

  14. Words

    18 Feb 2008

    Adele, I'll have to wait and see on the vixen. I think she was at the back of the garden tonight, but keeping well out of sight. Just two headlight eyes :eyes:

  15. BitzyMe

    19 Feb 2008

    Thanks Words.. I read up on it and discovered that the West Highland Scottish Terriers can be prone to it as well.

    Guess I'd better be checking my Gwennie from time to time.

  16. sprogger

    19 Feb 2008

    Not so much Wing Commander, just happened to have a book on the shelf behind me, called Worlds Greatest Aircraft 😀

  17. Words

    19 Feb 2008

    Well groomed dogs aren't at too much risk, and the standard fleas treatments will tend to deal to prevent any initial infestation. Treatment is easy enough with pets if they are unlucky. More diffcult with foxes because they won't politely take their medicine when you ask.

  18. BitzyMe

    19 Feb 2008

    Good! That's a relief to know that.

  19. Flying Red Fox Blog

    26 Feb 2008

    I did notice that you joined http://www.photos.aero Words, well done 😀 Try to upload some shots on there, i have 20 now, they only accepted a few of my Manchester ones due to very high standards but its worth a try.

    Hopefully the mange is a false alarm fingers crossed!

  20. Words

    26 Feb 2008

    I may give it a go Mark. It's a useful site, and the response to the query was very quick. :up:

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