For foxes, that is!
I was out in the garden tonight. It was quiet, but suddenly an unknown fox shot across the garden just a few feet in front of me. It clambered the panel fence on the south side of the garden and found its way to the garden behind. What followed was the sound of more than one fox. Among the loud clicking and mewling, there was a good deal of bashing around either inside or behind or under a garden shed. :eyes: The noises went on for several minutes, and were followed by the distinctive barking call that is so prevalent during the winter months. They're not necessarily mating yet, but the ritual courtship activity has begun.
The plaintive barking moved around the side of the garden (I still couldn't see anything) to the front of the house. Through the window I could see a lone fox calling. I didn't get a great view of it (poor street lighting), so I can't offer an i.d., so as to whether it's one of the semi-regular foxes I can't guess. It moved quickly away through the gardens opposite when someone came along the pavement.
This is the one shot I did manage, grabbed as the unknown fox shot across the garden. It's not nicked-ear, that much I do know.
Camera note: photo taken with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens. Not ideal for the job, but the best lens is the one on the camera at the time 😉
8 Comments
Makes for a perfect winter soundscape (and the sounds appear in just about every detective series on TV).
oo we are quite a way into December I guess, so I can look forward to the screaming an yelping of fox mating season for the next 2 months! lol
Okay, romance is one way to describe it, but flowers, champagne and chocolates are probably not part of the ritual…
Nice photo still, the sigma has done well getting the texture of the fur.
Oooooh! Exciting!! :yes:
Territorial boundaries seem to fall apart at this time of year! Interesting to see if he comes back…
Brendan, thanks! Unlike the gift bearing spiders 😉
A lucky shot that one. Almost no time to do anything but focus and fire.
Vulpes, yes an interesting time of year 😀
Adele, I'll be watching carefully to see what happens, but they tend to be quite twitchy so I expect most of these sightings will be fleeting or through windows.