Tag Archives: fox

Mainly Cute

June 17, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

I may be a bit erratic posting over the next two or three weeks (World Cup and all that eating into the evenings), but in the main I should still be making the most of the decent weather to get out and about with the camera. This post combines the best of yesterday and today, and has lots of babies in it.

First up are the herring gull chicks from yesterday morning. This clutch is on one of the green roofs at work. It’s overlooked by a large balcony area so the adults are very used to people being around (but very secure as well). The young gulls seem to enjoy hiding in the vegetation.

herring gull chicks

herring gull chicks

There are lots of young rabbits out in the fields. This pair is also from yesterday. I liked the pose.

Two young rabbits

Keeping on theme, these are the latest clutch of goslings back at Falmer Pond.

Greylag goslings

Plus (the latest arrivals) three pretty little ducklings.

Duckling at Falmer Pond

Moving away from the cuteness theme, I’m going to complete the recent sightings. The rats are always about, but I love photographing them so you are going to have to humour me if you don’t share my enthusiasm for these incredibly adaptive creatures. Plus I do think they are quite cute.

rat

rat

I can’t really pretend buzzards are cute, because they so clearly aren’t. But they are splendid in their own way and I saw a couple flying out over the fields at lunchtime.

buzzard

The final photo for today is the vixen in the garden, from Sunday.

vixen

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, apart from the vixen which was taken with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Foxes, rats, water birds Also tagged , , , , , |

Two Foxes

June 16, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

I took these shots about an hour ago in the garden. I was out there waiting to see if the foxes would appear. They seem to be becoming more accustomed to our presence in the garden, but it’s still very hit and miss. While I was outside I heard the sound of machinery coming from across the valley. The farmers were out working the fields up on the South Downs. This is the best photo I managed (with a 200mm lens, hand-held). The distance is probably about a mile.

Night farming

That passed a little bit of time (it needed several attempts to get a usable image) before the foxes appeared. The first to show was the nicked-ear male. He is now generally tolerant as long as I stay well back and don’t move.

fox (male)

His demeanour alerted me to the possible presence of a second fox, and sure enough I could see a vixen at the rear of the garden. She too seems to be getting more comfortable with us and eventually stepped forward out of the shadows. She’s a pretty vixen (but not ‘Pretty’). She was fairly cautious, but not spooked by the camera.

Fox (vixen)

I have several more images to process, but none of the pair of them together. I’m not complaining (but will try harder).

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Posted in Farming, Foxes Also tagged , |

It’s About Time for a Fox Post

June 10, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

It’s been some time since I’ve posted any photos of foxes, or at least it seems that way. They’ve been around (as yesterday’s video shows), but they are prone to scarper as soon as they spot me. I’ve seen brushes disappearing beyond the fence or behind the pergola, but only occasionally do they stay still long enough to get something in focus. Yesterday and today have been something of a breakthrough (the mild weather may have had a part to play in that).

These first two photos are of ‘fox number 2’, one of the more elusive members of the tribe. I took these on Sunday night.

fox

fox

The boldest of the group (though still far from bold) is ‘Nicked Ear’. He is somewhat erratic, but of all the foxes is the most likely to tolerate my presence (at a distance). He showed up tonight and was in a reasonably cooperative mood (aided by some food scraps), staying for close on 15 minutes. That is something of a record for him. The photos were all taken from a distance 30 feet or more which stretches the capability of the flash to its limits. Still, a couple of the shots are passable.

fox

Sitting in the corner of the garden

fox

Cautiously crossing the pergola

fox

Getting the reward

Now if only they’d bring the cubs to visit!

Camera note: Tonight’s photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens. Yesterday’s (the first two) were taken with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Posted in Foxes