Luxor4u

This is the first time I have actually found the time to read this thread from start to finish. Absolutely wonderful.
Fab and BB, you are both so priviliged to be a part of this, you must be so happy.
I am looking forward to keeping myself up to date on this now, your foxes have now become a part of my daily life too.

Thank you for sharing this.

Graveyard shift again this morning. On the way out the path said good morning to a fox as he/she watched me from the other side of the road.

You are very welcome, Shareen, they are certainly a very important part of our lives.
We took a fence down today, to replace with a hedge & have to tell them before they come down, so it won't be too much of a shock, it feels quite exposed at the moment. When we covered the normal approach with bags, timber etc for the summer house we told Mum & she worked out an alternative route before coming, instead of her normal route down the steps, she went straight up & across to the terrace, didn't even bother to look at the steps. She then told we were right us it was a mess!!
Missie had a long chat Thursday night, about the night Mum lost the cubs, she had got back to find her very hot and had washed her face, up her nose & between the ears, and her feet. She didn't know what else to do, she got some food but Mum didn't want to eat, so she buried the rest of the things she found round Mum, it looked like 2 bags & some meat!
Kinkie came back the next day, he traveled over night & into the day to be with them & he spent a long time washing Mum as well, especially all round her tail & Missie kept washing her head.
Missie was feeling a bit left out Thursday, but she is very glad Mum is better & happy to have Kinkie back. At least she's got the fireworks to entertain her, she does like them, but can't distinguish between blues & mauves!
FABLUX

Wills wrote:Graveyard shift again this morning. On the way out the path said good morning to a fox as he/she watched me from the other side of the road.

Wills, next time try sending warmth at the same time & then open your mind, & feel for a response, the same as you would with a pet. I find it helps to close my eyes but not if you are on the road! We don't want to lose you
FABLUX

this could be Fablux's Avatar...so cute...

Q Thank you, he's lovely, I wanted a fox & hadn't found one.

A Fox for our 'Fox Whispering' Foxy lady....how appropriate...

BB and Fab....I just had to ask this...as the beginning of the hunting season has been all over the TV (For our non-UK members, this is a Big thing in UK right now).

Have you, or any of those delightful creatures, every brought up this subject?

...and agree with Q...great little possible avatar for Fab...

Dabby

She has never experienced a Hunt (thank god) I heard one once whilst I was out riding, have you ever heard an animal being torn apart! Those screams live with you.
I deliberately turn off anything relating to hunting because it makes my blood boil. (I won't give my opinion of Prince Charles over it, I'd end up in the Tower) & I know she would be devastated.
She knows not all humans like foxes, my neighbour threw acorns at her when she barked in his garden, but she would be horrified at the depths they can sink to, in the name of sport! So in answer to your question (sorry about the tirade) No we shield her from it.

I'm glad Fab.....Though not the same, I keep seeing badgers - especially the young ones - dead on our roads. Has "Mum" ever said anything about them? (Not read much of them of late..or have I missed news of them posted elsewhere??)

I did a posting earlier this evening from Thursday. Since then watched last nights tape, Mum came down early & ate a bit, then left & DB came down, he sensed somebody else come down & moved off the food. It was Roley who then ate & then the 2 of them spoke to each other & left together. Ever since Roley bit DB, months ago after severe provocation DB has been a much nicer fox.
One bit had us laughing, first of all Roley stepped sideways & trod on a hedgehog accidentally, not sure which jumped most, then when one of the hedgehogs was sitting over the food on the floor & Roley wanted it, he tried to nudge it & got snorted at!
No sign of the new little cub today, but then Missie wasn't around either!! Oooh Errr
No she hasn't mentioned badgers, but her new earth is a series of tunnels left by something else, apparently its not uncommon for them to take over old badger setts, or possibly even share them, so I don't know. I imagine the dead young badgers are like the dead young foxes we see, young males looking for new territories.

I loved catching up with this line and now when I am over on the West Bank towards dusk I shall keep a very keen eye out for the foxes over there. They are not as cute as Fablux's avatar though.

Have to thank Q for the avatar.
Going offline now to watch the foxes, V large fox has been down already, we looked out at him whilst he was eating & we are almost certain it's Roley, if so I think he's bigger than Kinkie, about twice the size of our large cat! Beautiful coat, just as well he has a nice nature. Explored where we took the fence down, but didn't seem fazed.
Missie popped in whilst I was trying to watch a film earlier & said "Dogs, you have 2 dog?" Difficult to explain they were on TV to a fox!

Full of envy Fab...shall eagerly await news.

Fab your avater is great.

Sorry lost the tape with the cub, well BB did! Typical man, fortunately he turned up again last night, (the cub not BB), now has a name, when you see the photo you'll know why he's called Tufty. (Look at his neck) Quite cautious at first, but then spent 20 minutes eating solidly, BB's special high protein bread fried in beef & sausage fat, we thought he was going to burst! 6 slices of bread, meant to be enough for all the foxes, hedgehogs & birds. No chance, all gone in 4 foxes. No "link" to him though.
Interesting to see one of the H Hogs come down as normal, stop & go into defensive mode when it realised it wasn't one of the "family". Gradually crept forward over 5 minutes, stopping every few steps.

When do the H Hogs eventually decide it's time to sleep the winter away? Have you noticed it's later these days than 10 years ago due to the warmer winters?

Ours finally went away for a couple of weeks last February, other than that they were around right through the winter. Somebody came most nights, sometimes 2 or 3. We were originally recording them when we realised we had the foxes as well!

This is Tufty our new visiting male (we think) cub. See the tuft on his right cheek?


This was taken last night, he came down for food before the cameras came on tonight!

Lovely Fab....saw SOMEthing like a tuft...what, exactly, is it?? Not something horrible I hope.