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Foxy Visitors (Warning: Large Photos!)
- Thread starter mrsmig
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I'm pretty sure Esmeralda is pregnant. Like any expectant mother, she needs the occasional nap: The Pause That Refreshes.
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Thank you. A costume designer friend of mine, Pei Lee, drew it for me as a gift, and kindly allowed me to convert it into a title card.
The fox in the drawing is Patch, one of the first foxes that I started observing regularly, back in early 2018. One drizzly morning I caught him watching our bird feeders from the deck, and I was able to get a number of really nice photos. (You can see them in post #28 of this thread.) I think Pei really captured his personality.
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Two days ago I was pretty sure Esmeralda had whelped - when she showed up on the trail cam footage, she'd gone from being portly to svelte, and I thought I spotted a couple of little teats on her belly. Now that I've seen last night's footage, I'm certain. I wouldn't mess with Esme on a bet, right now.
Esmeralda v. Raccoons
Esmeralda v. Raccoons
Here's some footage from early this morning. We had strong winds overnight and even more as the sun came up, and it made Seven O'clock Fox extra jumpy.
Fox in the Wind
Fox in the Wind
The way the ears are going in all directions, it might be the wind noises that are making the fox nervous.
How is it you only have ten subscribers? You should have hundreds or more. Is there a way to link to the whole batch of videos or are there a couple individual ones you think are the most interesting I might share with people?
How is it you only have ten subscribers? You should have hundreds or more. Is there a way to link to the whole batch of videos or are there a couple individual ones you think are the most interesting I might share with people?
I don't really care about subscribers (and don't really know that much about how to do it). I just post for my own amusement and for friends.
Perfect capture of Seven O'Clock Fox going through the cherry tree garden this morning.
Stuck in bed like an invalid (not the subject of this post thank you very much) I've taken to watching a lot of old British detective shows. Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders, and a couple of others based in the UK all have an animal screaming noise when it's night. It sounds to me like a fox call.
One, is it common the hear foxes sort of screaming/calling at night.
And two, would you expect to hear them every time it is night?
One can hear coyotes around here at night but it is not so common that we hear them regularly every night.
One, is it common the hear foxes sort of screaming/calling at night.
And two, would you expect to hear them every time it is night?
One can hear coyotes around here at night but it is not so common that we hear them regularly every night.
It's not uncommon to hear them at night, but they're noisiest when it's mating season (Dec-Jan in my neck of the woods). And if there are foxes with overlapping territories, you can expect to hear some squabbles on occasion.
But do I hear them every night? No. They're remarkably silent unless something (turf war or foxy smexytimes) gets them going. No soulful howling at the moon or stuff like that.
(Come to think of it, doesn't every western feature coyotes howling as an evening scene setter?)
But do I hear them every night? No. They're remarkably silent unless something (turf war or foxy smexytimes) gets them going. No soulful howling at the moon or stuff like that.
(Come to think of it, doesn't every western feature coyotes howling as an evening scene setter?)
Thanks. It is clearly overused. Guess they think it adds to the night drama.
I found this video of the different calls. They use the last one, second example of the "alarm call", and the second one, first example of a "vixen's scream" or mating call. Fascinating.
I found this video of the different calls. They use the last one, second example of the "alarm call", and the second one, first example of a "vixen's scream" or mating call. Fascinating.
The furtive look is no doubt because there's another fox in the background. It might be one of my resident three: Quasimodo (a mangy messs), his elegant mate Esmeralda (who is nursing cubs - I'm eagerly awaiting their appearance in the yard), and Seven O'Clock (a single gentleman of regular habits). In additional to having the sneezles, this fox was probably aware it was on another fox's turf and was suitably anxious. If you turn up the sound, you can hear it making sounds like it's muttering under its breath.
I don't know. This is the first time she's brought any babies into the yard, and this one didn't stay long. She hustled it away a minute later, and none of the other cameras elsewhere in the yard had any footage of Baby. Hoping there are others and Esme will bring them out later.
Esmeralda brought Baby up to the kitchen yard last night, where the Cuteness is much more visible.
Baby Visits the Kitchen Yard
It may be that only one kit survived. Time will tell. At least this one looks healthy.
Baby Visits the Kitchen Yard
It may be that only one kit survived. Time will tell. At least this one looks healthy.
When I looked out the deck windows this morning, Esmeralda had the little one out by our shed. It was watching intently while she stalked a squirrel. (The squirrel went up a tree and essentially sat there thumbing its nose.)
When I looked at the nighttime camera footage, Esme was in full-on Protective Mama mode, stalking around the yard and making odd "wuff" noises. In one bit of footage I could see past her to the shed she's denned under, and I could swear there were TWO pairs of little eyes watching her from the dark. So there may indeed be another kit.
When I looked at the nighttime camera footage, Esme was in full-on Protective Mama mode, stalking around the yard and making odd "wuff" noises. In one bit of footage I could see past her to the shed she's denned under, and I could swear there were TWO pairs of little eyes watching her from the dark. So there may indeed be another kit.
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