Foxy Visitors (Warning: Large Photos!)
- Thread starter mrsmig
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The backyard camera points south from the northernmost corner of the property, and the kitchen camera points west toward our front yard. The kitchen yard is the main fox feeding station.
I think the kit may be trying to suckle, which is why she keeps jumping out of reach. I bet those little teeth are sharp!That's hilarious, Donna.
I love how Momma Fox herds the last kit.
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A little early Mother's Day present for you all: Esmeralda and three VERY hungry kits.
A Mother's Work Is Never Done
A Mother's Work Is Never Done
I just got home after five days at the beach, and the whole time I was gone, I worried that the fox family would be okay.
They're fine. Very fine.
Foxy Family
They're fine. Very fine.
Foxy Family
The little ones are venturing a little further afield every day, although they still haven't left the back of the yard. We strung a cat toy onto a pole, to see if they'd play with it.
Tippy & Toy
Tippy & Toy
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I adored this one! Don't mess with Esmeralda.
Hey, Donna, I can't remember. Is Quasi one of the guys you were treating for mange, or is he just naturally raggedy?
He looks mangy!!! He's been eating poisoned rats I'd wager.
But the tail on Esme ... I LOVE it.
But the tail on Esme ... I LOVE it.
He had mange, but seems to be coming back from it. Both parents look a little down at heel right now. I imagine keeping three growing kits fed and safe takes a lot of energy.
The kits are getting so big! Tippy is the only one I've named, since it's the only one with an identifying mark (white tail tip). Tippy likes to hang close to Esmeralda, and will trot along with her as she explores the yard every night. I can't tell the sex of any of the kits yet; I think Tippy might be a male, but I'm just not sure.
I learned a new fox noise recently. Esme will make a low, guttural "wuff" sound, and when they hear it, the kits will all run back to the den post-haste. It must be some kind of warning. My neighbors' pets all get the "wuff" treatment when they bark at the kits. When other foxes come into the yard, Esme lets out a territorial scream. Hence, even Seven O'Clock has been staying away when the kits are out of the den. It can get quite noisy some nights.
Here's some footage of the kits playing last night. They love to romp around and dig in the deer's food and water bowls, even when Esme is trying her best to give them (the kits, not the bowls) a wash-up.
Washing & Playing
I learned a new fox noise recently. Esme will make a low, guttural "wuff" sound, and when they hear it, the kits will all run back to the den post-haste. It must be some kind of warning. My neighbors' pets all get the "wuff" treatment when they bark at the kits. When other foxes come into the yard, Esme lets out a territorial scream. Hence, even Seven O'Clock has been staying away when the kits are out of the den. It can get quite noisy some nights.
Here's some footage of the kits playing last night. They love to romp around and dig in the deer's food and water bowls, even when Esme is trying her best to give them (the kits, not the bowls) a wash-up.
Washing & Playing
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I'm just tickled by how we went from, "There's only one kit coming around, oh-no, I hope they didn't lose any others she may have carried!" to seeing these three rambunctious rapscallions running and hopping and all looking so vibrant and healthy. What a good mama Esmeralda is (and props to raggedy ol' Quasi, too, for what part he plays.) 
Okay, here's a capture from one of last night's videos:
And here's the video, for those who need to see such adorableness in motion: Cuteness Overload.
ETA: I think - THINK - this one might be female, and I'm pretty sure Tippy is male. Alas, I can't be more certain until they're older. In any case, I call this one Short Snout since it's got a more doglike profile than the other two. It's less interested in romping with its sibs and seems to be more focused on getting food. Already pursues nighttime bugs with great avidity.
And here's the video, for those who need to see such adorableness in motion: Cuteness Overload.
ETA: I think - THINK - this one might be female, and I'm pretty sure Tippy is male. Alas, I can't be more certain until they're older. In any case, I call this one Short Snout since it's got a more doglike profile than the other two. It's less interested in romping with its sibs and seems to be more focused on getting food. Already pursues nighttime bugs with great avidity.
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I saw a short clip of a parent & kit on a city street yesterday, and I was shocked by how tiny the kit was when seen in a setting where the perspective is more familiar to me. Donna's vids being my only other view of baby foxes, I had a skewed mind-gauge on the relative size (due to the close-up, the kits in motion, and not knowing the true size of things like the bowls and plants for comparison). They must be so hard to spot in the wild, among grasses and underbrush, if they're exploring alone, rather than huddled together.
A lot of people who view my vids think the foxes are bigger than they really are, since the majority of my cameras are mounted between four and six inches above ground level. Just for perspective, the kit in the photo is standing in front of a patch of blooming lambs' ear, which is about 16 inches tall at its highest point. So yeah, even though they're growing fast, they're still just littles.
The kits entertained themselves by romping around in the cherry tree garden very early this morning. It's a longer video than usual, since they were absolutely engrossed in their play. I caught a glimpse of them this morning around seven o'clock, still playing at the rear of the yard, although as soon as I opened the deck door for a better look, they ran back to the den.
Some bonus audio at the end - two of them had a quarrel, and it's a nice example of fox vocalizations (albeit on the squeaky baby side).
Pre-Dawn Romp
Some bonus audio at the end - two of them had a quarrel, and it's a nice example of fox vocalizations (albeit on the squeaky baby side).
Pre-Dawn Romp
Tippy ventured into the kitchen yard by himself this morning - in daylight! Such a fine looking little fellow (and yes, I'm 99% sure he's male).
Daylight Tippy
Daylight Tippy
Now that I've gotten to know the kits a little better, I've given them their formal names: Kristofferson (formerly Tippy), Ash (formerly Half Tip) and Agnes (formerly Short Snout). Kudos to anyone who knows where I got those names!
Last night into this morning, everyone seemed to be in a playful mood. Enjoy the fun.
Family Romps
Last night into this morning, everyone seemed to be in a playful mood. Enjoy the fun.
Family Romps
The Explore site has a new cam.
There's a gray fox den with one kit. There was a raccoon family with new babies but it sounds like the mother moved them. Squirrels play on the wood pile. A deer had two fawns yesterday or the day before.
The puffin chick hatched a couple of hours ago.
Hey @MaeZe, you might want to put those links in the Animal and Bird Web Cams thread, rather than here in the fox-specific thread.
Thanks, I forget from year to year where I posted them before.... aging brain.
