Date: 2nd November 2021
Time: from
7:45 a.m.
Weather: dry,
sunny, light wind, 4°C to 5°C
It
was another beautiful sunny autumnal morning for my visit although it was very
cold with ground frost evident in some sheltered areas.
During my last visit, I failed to record any Red Foxes, Grey Squirrels or Reeves’ Muntjacs. It is extremely unusual not to record any mammals at all but during this visit I recorded both Red Fox and Grey Squirrel.
In fact, this was my probably
my best encounter with Red Foxes this year.
For some time now, my
best sightings of Red Fox have been in the eastern section of the
cemetery. This morning, I sat and waited in a position that provided an
opportunity to scan much of this area. After about 20 minutes, I decided to
leave as I was getting very cold just sitting still. I had one final scan and
then noticed a Red Fox watching me from the bushes and trees bordering
the cemetery. I managed to get a few photos before it turned round and disappeared.
After this sighting, I took a slow walk round to St. Nicholas Church, taking a few photos of the autumn colours and of the church itself. After taking my photo of church, I noticed a Red Fox staring back at me from the edge of the car park but unfortunately I was too slow to get a photo of this animal as it bolted behind the storage shed.
On my way home, I took the
opportunity to scan the field bordered by trees, hedges and bushes at the northern
edge of the site. I have had some success in the past at this location with Red
Fox sightings and photography but not for some time.
Within 5 minutes of arriving at
my usual watchpoint in the wooded area at the edge of the field, I saw the head
of a Red Fox appear on the other side just beyond the large oak tree.
This was quickly followed by another in close proximity. Both animals fully emerged
and slowly made their way around the edge of the field following the line of hedges
and bushes. One of the animals was clearly a dog Red Fox and I believe that
from the size and shape the other was a vixen. Both very clearly comfortable in
each other’s company so they may have been either a paired adult dog and vixen
or 2 sub-adults (this year’s cubs).
Eventually both Red Foxes
disappeared in to the hedges and bushes on the far side of the field although
within a few minutes they re-emerged slightly further away. What I believe was
the dog Red Fox disappeared from view very quickly but the presumed vixen starting
walking slowly back across the field towards me before it also disappeared at
the point where I had seen it first emerge.
This encounter over 30 minutes or so enabled me to get many photos and I have posted these separately here.
My sightings
of Grey Squirrel were much less exciting. I saw 2 individuals, the first in the western
section of the cemetery foraging on the ground and the second in the trees
bordering the church car park.
It continues to be relatively quiet with regard to birds
and I only recorded 11 species. The only bird record of
note was Green Woodpecker, the first seen in the western section of the cemetery foraging on the
ground before flying off in to the trees and another seen flying and calling as
it flew over the field whilst I was watching the Red Foxes.
Species
recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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