Today was as good as it gets. The morning sun was bright and I headed out early enough to go for a short walk before work. The birds were up, and a flash of brilliant colour caught my eye.
A yellowhammer looking splendid in the sunshine
That's always a nice way to start a working day, but things were to improve. I'd walked a short way along a path and taken a couple of poor shots of horses (against the sun) when some movement caught my eye. A lone fox was out in the field. Now I know they are around here, but I have had virtually no sightings of them before, so this was special. It's the first time I've photographed a fox in a field :faint:
Several shots later I headed back to the car, when a successful few minutes suddenly got even better. A second fox appeared, heading down into the field just along from where I was parked.
I took a number of shots as he descended into the valley, and then watched as he caught a rabbit…
And tossed it in the air…. :eyes:
And …erm… dismantled it :yikes:
Finally he carried it away, startling a second rabbit near the edge of the field.
There are more of the sequence in my One Spring Day album. And the reason for an album is that after that unbelievably good start to the day, my lunchtime walked came close to matching it.
First there were the buzzards (two were circling overhead).
And this ram appeared perfectly framed in a gate.
I saw a kestrel and some more rabbits, set off in some wonderful countryside views.
As I got back to my starting point I looked out to see if there were any foxes about. There weren't; but a pair of long-tailed tits were busy gathering nesting material. As ever, they like to work behind a tapestry of twigs…
But as I said, it was a good day and this one did me the honour of emerging from the thicket while it continued to gather material.
Last night I mentioned that I would do an update on the spawn… that's been delayed, but there is one photo I posted last night in my 365 collection which shows just how well they are coming along. They are still 'massed' together but I expect them to be swimming freely in the next few days.
The garden fox was back last night (I'm struggling to keep up with the footage). I'll start sitting out again with real camera soon, but he has a tendency to keep to the small hours (often showing up at around 1am, and then again around 4am). And as for tomorrow.. if it's bright, I'll be back by that field 😉
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
Vulpes vulpes
25 Mar 2009What a great day!! :up:
gdare
25 Mar 2009Is it possible that field fox is the same visitor of your garden? Then it will explain its behaviour to come to you in the small hours 😀
Flying Red Fox Blog
25 Mar 2009Yay! 😀 you caught a Fox what a great moment. It was so great the weather last weekend, i went to Heathrow again and was on a tube train crammed full of people……. felt like a sardine in a tin can! 😆
SittingFox
25 Mar 2009Wow, that is just spectacular! Interesting to see the fox in an arable field. He must have been pretty hungry to dismantle a rabbit!
That last shot of the long-tailed tit is marvellous, as is the photo of the yellowhammer. Great all round! 😀
Words
25 Mar 2009Mark, Saturday was perfect weather. It's not been quite so good since then though. You must have had good light at Heathrow (to make up for sitting on a crowded tube to get there).
Words
25 Mar 2009Darko, I don't think they'll be travelling all the way to our garden (3.5 miles) when they've got such a wonderful spot all to themselves (and so many rabbits to choose from).
Words
25 Mar 2009Adele, it was great to watch, even from an absurd distance. There are livestock fields just around, but this one seems a good haunt generally. As well as the rabbits, it's a good spot for buzzards and I've seen deer in it on a few occasions. I suspect he was preparing the rabbit to take home with him 😉
The long-tailed tit has just made the UK top 10.
Words
25 Mar 2009Vulpes, sometimes it just all comes together.
frugale
27 Mar 2009Wow, you are surrounded by wonder and you can portray it well! Thanks for sharing all those wonderful pics, you made my day! 🙂
Words
27 Mar 2009Thanks Frugale, I'm glad you enjoy the posts. It's fun doing them. 🙂
Ukwildlife
30 Mar 2009great sequence with the hunting fox. Th buzzard shot is pretty darn good too
Words
30 Mar 2009Thanks Neil. One of those great mornings!