Guess who was lurking in the garden tonight…

By Paul Cecil | Published December 8, 2007

The rain finally stopped today as evening fell. It was still very damp underfoot when I went outside, and lurking in a corner of the garden was a familiar face. I hadn't seen him (or indeed any other fox) since last weekend, so it was especially good to see him using the garden rather than just passing through.

Sheltering fox

He did venture out

And happily posed for a few photos

He's looking so good at the moment that it's easy to forget that earlier in the year he was suffering from mange and had lost most of that marvellous brush. This photo, from February, shows just how ragged he'd become.

Last February

Camera Note: Tonight's photos taken with the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens. The February photo was taken with the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.

This entry was posted in Foxes, mange and tagged .

16 Comments

  1. Vulpes vulpes December 9, 2007 at 1:12 am #

    It so nice to see your efforts at treating the mange earlier in the year paid off so well! He looks so healthy now!

  2. gdare December 9, 2007 at 7:12 am #

    He looks fully recovered now, comparing with the last photo :up:

  3. Flying Red Fox Blog December 9, 2007 at 8:12 am #

    Its great hes recovered, i think animals seem to know when someone is helping them and stay around for a long time after which is nice 😀

  4. SittingFox December 9, 2007 at 9:12 am #

    Amazing transformation and that's a marvellous picture of him sheltering from the rain! They're so picky about the weather! 😉

  5. Words December 9, 2007 at 10:12 am #

    Mark, I think he knows which side his bread is buttered 😉 Funny that he disappeared for so long but it could be that he's getting grumpy and avoids the mayhem of raising a family!

  6. Words December 9, 2007 at 10:12 am #

    Darko, yes he's certainlly fully recovered. Mange treatment is usually very successful.

  7. Words December 9, 2007 at 10:12 am #

    Vulpes, he's looking better now than at almost any time over the past three years. 🙂

  8. Words December 9, 2007 at 10:12 am #

    Adele, he's always been one for sheltering under shrubs. Definitely a wise old fox!

  9. CedarFox December 9, 2007 at 9:12 pm #

    He's really made a great recovery, it's especially noticeable in his tail. :up:

  10. ALLY_G December 10, 2007 at 4:12 am #

    Great to see that he is well again! :up:
    The first of your photos makes me smile: such a nice hiding-place. 🙂

  11. cakkleberrylane December 10, 2007 at 7:12 pm #

    Beautiful photos, as always. I love the one of the fox sheltering. So candid.

  12. Words December 10, 2007 at 11:12 pm #

    Eric , yes his brush has been through the wars over the years. From thin to thick, to notched, back to thin and finally thick again!

  13. Words December 11, 2007 at 12:12 am #

    Lois, thanks. I'd not seen him under that bush before.

  14. Words December 11, 2007 at 12:12 am #

    Elke, he's doing fine now. Thanks 🙂

  15. Words December 12, 2007 at 10:12 pm #

    Cheers :beer:

  16. Mickeyjoe-Irl December 12, 2007 at 10:12 pm #

    Hard to believe it's the same fellow. Well done Words. :up: