Well the weather today was dreadful. Although the threatened storms never quite got into full force, we've had near gale-force winds for much of the day, lashing rain, and the occasional flash of lightning. Not really weather for taking out the camera, so I took this slow exposure shot of our hydrangea through the window. It was taking quite a buffeting (as were the trees).
The winds had in fact started late Saturday night. Not weather for foxes, but this little chap was doing a good job of clinging on to a wildly swaying feeder. There are more photos of him (or her?) over in the Wood Mouse Files. 
The winds did eventually drop late afternoon, and we only suffered minor garden damage to some screening along a fence. With the drop in wind came the old dog fox. I assume he'd spent most of the day holed up somewhere dry and quiet. For all his confidence he's never liked high winds, possibly because of his sense of hearing. Foxes listen out for prey as much as see it, and the noise of the wind is obviously disruptive.
I have a sneaking suspicion that there is another fox around. Last night (Saturday) I caught a glimpse of a fox at the rear of the garden, but it shot off as soon as it heard me. It was too distant to identify in the dark, but the old dog fox simply doesn't rush off like that. He's much more likely to take a few steps forward and investigate. Given the now lengthy absence of the young male (and the absence of Roofy), the odds are increasingly in favour of the 'shy fox' being a vixen. We'll have to wait and see.
Camera note: Hydrangea and second mouse shot taken with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens; first mouse shot taken with the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens; and the foxes photographed with EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens.
Flying Red Fox Blog
3 Dec 2007Wow the Hydrangea looks as blurry as flames lol:P
It was very windy and i took many pics of the roaring sea yesterday will post them later.:D
I wonder where Roofy went?
Vulpes vulpes
3 Dec 2007I'm sure all this is leading up to a fox family reunion someday soon – paws crossed! 😉
SittingFox
3 Dec 2007Love the wildly flailing bush! And the mouse is great as always.
The old male has a wonderfully broad head. I miss my Old Dogfox 🙁 (well, One-Eye's great but he's about a thousand times harder to photograph than his predecessor…)
Words
3 Dec 2007Mark, the hydrangea was swaying all over the place! Roofy has probably been pushed out by the old fox, but there's always a chance he'll be back.
Words
3 Dec 2007Vulpes, yes it would be great if all the generations got together!
Words
3 Dec 2007Adele, that mouse is great. And very persistent in the high winds. I had plenty of shots where the feeder vanished from view as the shutter fired. the old fellow is great. Inconsistent but great!
ALLY_G
4 Dec 2007There you have a cute "trapeze artist" hanging on your feeder! :eyes:
Beautiful shots, also the "firy bush" looks great. :up:
CedarFox
5 Dec 2007Great pictures!
That bush makes it look really windy outside.
Words
5 Dec 2007Ally, thanks. I'll have to teach the mouse to do tricks :clown:
Words
6 Dec 2007CedarFox, Glad you liked the pictures. It was pretty windy, for sure!
ALLY_G
6 Dec 2007😀 :up: