Starlights

Foxes, Mammals, North Downs, Trail Cameras, United Kingdom, Watching Nature 1 Minute

Christmas has rolled by, short and sweet for most of us, perhaps mingled with some gratitude that 2020 is almost over. This year has been hard for people and bleak for wildlife, but the stars are still bright – and the planets, when the clouds have deigned to let us see them. Our closest star looks on through the haze.

Sunrise Dec 20

Down on terra firma, I’m seeing a few foxes as they quarter the chilled roads in search of mates, but the trailcam has obtained better views. Scent-marking, scent-marking – the woods reek of it, even to us humans; foxes must find it as ‘loud’ as a high street draped in advertising banners. And everyone is trying to shout out their message over the top of the neighbour’s!

The first three clips here tell of intense rivalry and trespass:

1) Trespasser: a male fox urinates on a tree;

2) Trespasser: a second, very assertive male (just look at how he is holding his brush!) rubs himself in it, perhaps to disguise his own scent;

3) the territory owner finally arrives, and stands bemused.

For roe deer, that drama is long since over – they mate in summer, much earlier than most deer, but the foetus only starts to develop about now. Even the weather seems to fall off them, literally, as they shake out the rain.

I hope to spend more time on this blog next year; with one thing and another, it’s fallen by the wayside a bit in recent times. I hope everyone has a peaceful new year. 

Published by Adele Brand

Wildlife researcher and writer. I let the animals tell their own stories.

Published

23 thoughts on “Starlights”

  2. Thank you Adele….your post brought a tear and a smile….It was a reminder that life goes on regardless and we can learn from our beloved ‘beasties’ – adapt and survive….x

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  3. Your trail cam take very clear pictures. I love getting a peek at the animals when they don’t know we’re watching. It’s the only way most of us can get to know them because they know that generally, humans are not to be trusted.
    I’m happy to hear that you’ll be posting more. I’ve been getting a bit lazy about posts over the Christmas break but it’s time to think about it again. Looking forward to happy nature posts in the next year, which is very soon! Happy New Year!

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    1. I’m pretty pleased with these cams. They’re Browning Strike Force and seem to be a good balance between being cheap enough so that thefts (if still not desired!) aren’t a complete disaster, but produce good footage. And yes, it’s a different world when animals don’t know they’re being watched.

      You’re much better at posting regularly than I am! 🙂 Happy New Year to you and your family, dogs and Lincoln (and his family).

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    1. Thank you Robin and same to you – and yes I completely agree! We’re currently in the UK government’s highest tier of restrictions and are likely to remain there for some time. But the vaccine is being rolled out of course, so hopefully this will all come to an end.

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  6. Nice post to wrap up this year and hopefully be a start of a new one. Yesterday, while walking in Kalamalka lake trail near Vernon, we spotted a coyote chasing 4 white tail deer. Three of them ran to a forest but one got confused and ran straight up the mountain, with coyote behind. About 30 minutes later, deer came out of the woods and ran in direction where the rest of his siblings probably were.
    And then it started snowing. It was a great day.

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  7. I just read your book in German language and I find it very interesting and also I read your posts with the fantastic photos and videos.Both together is nature writing as its best. Good luck for 2021.

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  10. The glimpse of the woodland indicates that it is really beautiful and I enjoyed these interesting clips. Yes indeed, let’s hope for a mundanely peaceful year. Unfortunately its off to quite a dramatic start… . Despite that keep well and I look forward to your always interesting posts. With best wishes.

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    1. Thank you Carol. Yes, I think these next few weeks are going to be our toughest challenge for covid but perhaps will be the last major burst of it. We’ll see. According to the ZOE Covid Symptom App, a huge citizen science project run by Kings College London, covid cases have shot through the roof in my area in the last couple of weeks. We’re in strict lockdown anyway but it’s a reminder to keep safe.

      I hope you keep well too. Looking forward to when we’re all past this!

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