Regular visitors to the blog will be aware at just how frustrating I've found the past month so. The foxes have been distinguishing the winter months by their elusiveness. That they are around hasn't been in question. I've glimpsed them at the back of the garden, caught one shot of eye-shine, seen them through the kitchen window as they trot along the other side of the road, watched as they've dashed past the back window while I was setting up the camera. But have I been able to photograph the visitor? Have I heck as like!
I've stood for hour after hour in the freezing garden. I've set a camera to take a shot a minute for two hours (only for the fox to appear 5 minutes after the final shot). I've set up tripods with long exposures and fixed focus. All to no avail.
Until tonight that is. Ok, it's a single shot (flash, with a fixed focus) and the eye-shine is extreme. But there's no doubt that it's a fox (unlike the photo in my 29th January post). The inducement was an egg. I was hidden against the shrubs behind the pond. I pre-focused the camera and set it to manual. And waited, for maybe 20 minutes. A fox appeared from the rear of the garden and paused. I froze. It looked across to the egg. And waited. I waited. After about half a minute it cautiously made its way to the treat. I fired off one frame. The fox looked up, startled; and retreated back to the safety of the neighbouring garden. At which point I retreated to the house, with this safely in the camera.
First fox of 2009
I kept a careful eye out through the window. The fox returned after three or four minutes to retrieve the egg. That's a most encouraging sign. He's not been put off by the disturbance. I'll take it slowly, but making a start is enough. As for an identification, all I can say is that it's not nicked-ear (very obviously), and the broad head suggests a male. For now it's just 'the stranger', but that's ok: we're all strangers when we meet.
Closer crop
Camera note: taken with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens and Canon 430EX flash unit.
16 Comments
Thanks Lois. I do feel I've 'earned' that shot. 😀
You caught him! :hat:
Hopefully, now that the breeding season is almost over, they will become regulars again. I saw the Chipped Vixen here tonight for the first time in a couple of weeks.
Neil, thanks! I'm delighted with it. I expected the eye-shine as I need to be fairly close to avoid that, but I can live with that for now.
I measure the greatness of a shot by how much effort it took to get it. I think this one is tremendous! Congratulations!
Adele, yes finally! :faint: It's been a struggle, but as you say they should become a little more visible over the coming weeks.
:sing:
Strangers in the night exchanging glances
Wondring in the night…
:yes:
Hooray! Its not a bad photo considering the circumstances 🙂
Thanks Darko! 😀
Well done!! 😀 I do approve of the 'stranger'! :up:
Thanks Vulpes!
Yay! :yes: well done Words. 😀 Hopefully they will make more appearances now.
One swallow doesn't make a summer, but one fox may yet make a summer of fun. We'll see 😀
Great capture! :up: 🙂
Thanks FB!
Great story! It took my breath away several times 😆
And congrats on your first fox of 2009 :hat: :hat:
Thanks Anna. I'm still struggling with the foxes this year, but am always optimistic!