My original blog on the much-missed Opera Community was called ‘The Sitting Fox’ in honour of a vulpine cliché: when watching something that they’re not sure about, they sit down.
But outright relaxation is not unknown. This vixen from the Across the Road Group dozed peacefully in the garden last week while her mate and a low-ranking male raged in mock battle – biting the hedgerow, half-chasing, talking with their tails like cats.
It didn’t turn violent. The younger male even turned his back on his rival between their squabbles.
The vixen hardly batted an eye. We’re coming towards the end of the breeding season, and she is almost certainly pregnant by now. Her mate is the Dun Male, here on the right. Apologies for the quality of this picture; it’s a still off the movie camera.
The Across the Road Group. Of all the fox groups in my village, they’re the ones whom I know the best. Six years of drama, and no sign of slowing. So many unforgettable characters have lived in this group: the original Vixen from Across the Road, who raised her cubs despite losing half her territory to builders; the White Socks Vixen, tiny, nervous and unquenchable; the Cavalier Cub, White Socks’ son, whose domineering, bombastic personality disrupted the fox territory network in multiple streets.
Let’s hope these two have some cubs and we can see what chapter comes next.
White Socks Vixen – 2017
A Walk with Wildlife 
Wonderful photos of these beautiful animals. How fortunate that you have been able to follow this community through the years!
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Thanks Belinda 🙂 It’s fascinating to see this wild drama unfold.
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Lovely to see photos of foxes looking so relaxed, especially the pair together.
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They often come to the garden to rest and sleep. In past years, there were a fair number of squabbles going on between members of different groups, but there’s less of that at the moment.
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Interesting to observe how the dynamics shift over time.
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Adele, White Socks is definitely a favourite! Lets hope she has a bunch of pups! I would definitely look forward to that!
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I expect some of the kits have been born by now but will be underground for a bit longer. I usually start seeing them in April.
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They are so beautiful and your photos are very fine, Adele. If these hung out in my back yard, I would get absolutely no work done, for my watching them!
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Yes, they are a (very nice) distraction! Sometimes it feels like they’re watching me as much as I’m watching them. Very curious little things.
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White Socks Vixen is beautiful but I will never forget The Old Dog Fox, who was such a character! Maybe because he is on the covers of your book 🙂
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He was a wonderful old fox and I like to think that some of our current residents are descended from him 🙂
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What great photos! Thanks for sharing!
-Rachel from http://www.wildbioadventures.org
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Thank you Rachel.
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