As mentioned in a previous post (April 15, 2021) we have 1 or 2 active fox dens near our house. These are dug into gravel banks near the river or in a gully. Since we have good fox habitat on our property we often see and hear them. In January and February we often heard their barks and 'howls'. They often vocalize in breeding season which is now past.
The foxes have become accustomed to our presence and will usually come near our house at night. This they sometimes also do during the day. One day last week when there were only small patches of exposed grass and weeds the fox came right up to the house in the day time. Next to the foundation there was a 3-metre strip of grass where the snow had melted away. The fox usually checks that area for mice on its way to better habitat further down the field. On that day we saw her/him coming and watched from a glass door as she moved immediately along the house. She stopped at the front door step and came right up on the porch! A few seconds later I had my camera in hand and the attached photos are from that photo shoot. As she got to the end of the building she made a huge leap and pounced on a clump of long grass and played catch with a fat vole that was hiding therein. The vole got away and the fox carried on for further hunting. At no time did she know we were within as little as 3 metres of her!
The photo below shows the fox moving on to more hunting down the field. What a fine specimen he/she is.
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