You know, over this last you I have developed an interested in red foxes and I have learned about the Simon King Wildlife website and definitely enjoy their work. The site is based out of England and they have several different web cams you can watch. My favorites are the "Fox Family Camera" and the "Badger Fox Feeder Camera". The Fox Family camera is set up in someone's garden in the London area (wouldn't know them personally since I don't live in England) and the Badger Fox Feeder Camera is set up in some meadows in England. Anyways, I've been watching those 2 cams off and on over the past year and definitely have sightings worth sharing (mostly foxes, though some badgers too). I like how the cams offer good opportunities to see these otherwise very elusive creatures and in a way you are not likely to spook them. In this post, I will share some of the best sightings I have had thus far for this year. Note that these are not every sighting I have had, there are some I haven't shared, but I thought I would share these screen shots I took.
In this photo are 2 badgers feeding on camera. Usually there is only one badger present, but sometimes there are more than one badgers. When watching the Badger Fox feeder camera, especially at night, be sure to be on the look out for these guys. They usually do make appearances at night.
While most fox sightings I have seen happen at night, sometimes they can happen in day light hours. It is worth mentioning that there is about an 8 hour difference between Seattle time (where I live) and London time (far far away from Seattle) so when it is 8 am here in Seattle, it is about 4 pm in London (late afternoon there). Or when it is midnight here, it is 8 am there.
This red fox is sitting pretty almost right in front of the camera. I wonder if he/she knows if it is a star of the show?
Here is a fox and badger feeding together and getting along just fine. Usually you only see one of these guys at a time on camera, but sometimes they can make dual appearances like this one. Not sure if foxes eat badgers, but they both seem to be too well fed to really think along those lines.
Aw this guy seems to be a bit camera shy. Probably notices the camera (not sure why else the fox seems to be cowering). There really is no audio when watching the web cams and I can't see anything behind the camera, so I have no idea what the fox is seeing (besides the camera) or hearing for that matter, but something seemed to spook him. Though in my experience (like the ones I saw on San Juan Island earlier this month), red foxes are pretty timid animals and can get scared off pretty easily. Often times when they see you, they will just look at you and run away (or at least keep their distance). They are also great at hiding too (especially here in North America).
This fox is more bold (not sure if it is the same guy as above) and walks right past the camera. Happened in the meadows.
This guy seems to be watching the camera from right behind the log. Not sure if people man the cameras on the website (or how often), but this fox definitely seems to notice the camera and is looking right at it.
Hungry fox, eating as usual. I think the owners of the garden put out food for the animals (can make a good lure, thought about doing something like that with my trail cam sometime) and every so often you can see the foxes eating the food. After all, why let it go to waste? Interestingly, the animals do share the food with other foxes and other animals too (seen mice and squirrels eating the food too, even a black cat on a few occasions as well).
On the Badger Fox Feeder cam, someone usually puts out seeds and nuts in the field and the foxes / badgers can often be seen feeding on them. Interestingly, sometimes you can see mice roaming around too and I wouldn't be surprised if the foxes feast on the mice sometimes too.
This fox is looking right at the camera again. I wonder if he knows he is the star attraction on the web cam?
Another fox feeding right in front of thee camera. The guy must be pretty hungry.
I have noticed that sometimes the web cams will zoom in on the foxes (probably happens when someone is manning the cameras) and I managed to get a screen shot action this particular time. Shows almost a really up close shot of one of the foxes feeding (probably not knowing someone is filming him). Foxes tend to be regular in the lady's yard. Not sure if I get foxes in my own back yard (though one of my neigbors claim that she has seen some), but I do seem to have a resident coyote that comes through sometimes (caught on my trail cam), possibly a resident bobcat too.
You can see these two foxes (also below) walking along the sidewalk in the garden, almost making themselves right at home. Probably would be an interesting experience having some resident foxes coming through almost every day.
This guy is treading along, probably not noticing the camera
Another up close shot of the fox on the badger fox feeder camera, feeding as usual. Badgers are probably more common than the foxes on that camera, but foxes do make appearances sometimes as well (though maybe not as often as the ones in the Fox Family camera do).
Here is another daylight sighting of one of the foxes I saw on camera (probably evening hours London time, given the 8 hour time difference between Seattle time and London time.)
Here are some red fox kits on camera (baby foxes). Appears the vixen fox (Fleur I assume) had some more babies and they started making appearances. Pretty cute to watch too. Sightings tend to be more active when the kits are present and you can often see 2 or more of them out at a time (sometimes with the mother watching them too). Obviously, they are grown up by now, but they were kits back then. BTW, PBS recently did a special on foxes too, showing some kits growing up in Newfoundland (see http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/fox-tales-about/15471/ for the episode)
This fox was looking right at the camera. This guy is probably like, "thanks for my dinner".
Another fox sighting on the Badger Fox Feeder Camera. His fur seems to be thicker than in previous photos. I have heard that foxes tend to be a common sight where there are open areas (such as farm country or in the prarie areas of San Juan Island). You know, I'd be tempted to park somewhere along marsh road sometime near Snohomish and watch for coyotes and foxes when I get the chance sometime.
This fox was curled up right by the camera and napping. One cute thing about foxes is that sometimes when they sleep (not always of course), they will curl up with their big bushy tails and use their tails as a pillow / blanket. Sometimes you can see them sleeping on the porch in the day time, though not always.
Another night time sighting of one of the resident foxes on the Fox Family cam. Sightings tend to happen randomly (one moment they might not be around and the next moment they are there). Can be good to check the cams periodically as I find that you are more likely to have sightings when keeping a tab open and checking them occasionally.
This guy is sitting pretty in the garden almost right by the porch. Seems to be pretty tolerant of the humans in the area.
Another closeup shot of one of the foxes feeding as usual. Sometimes you can also see them feeding on squirrels and /or mice too if they are hungry enough.
Here is a really closeup shot of one of the foxes on the fox family camera. You can see his face and eyes pretty well. If you didn't know any better, you would think it is a coyote (at least the appearance is similar), though in reality it is a fox (not sure if England gets coyotes like America does).
Another fox on the prowl in the garden. It is worth mentioning that there are multiple resident foxes in the area so sometimes you can see 2 or more of them at a time.
g
This badger was feeding right in front of the camera. Northwest Trek has badgers that you can see, though I can't say I have seen a badger in the wild (seen foxes in the wild before, with my most recent sighting taking place on San Juan Island, but not badgers).
In this video, a vixen fox (Fleur?) is watching her kits as they feed on their dinner. Interestingly kits will compete when trying to eat. Like any mother in real life, this vixen makes sure her kits are well fed each day.
In this photo, I did a pun on Tails the Fox (from Sonic the Hedgehog). Used Microsoft Paint (sorry I don't have photoshop) to add an extra tail to this guy. Thought it would be funny. Most (if not all) real foxes probably don't have 2 tails, let alone fly (all of the ones I have seen in real life only have one tail), but in the Sonic Universe anything is possible, including 2 tailed flying red foxes like Tails.
Here is a daytime sighting of one of the fox kits. Seems to be getting familiarized with his surroundings, including the web cam watching him (have no idea what genders the foxes are, though at least one of them is a vixen)
Here is a rare daytime sighting of 2 red foxes together. Usually there is only one present at a time (especially in the day light hours), but this time around there were 2 of them present.
Here is a night time sighting of 2 foxes together. Usually when I have sightings there will only be one present, but sometimes you can see 2 or more of them at a time. Sometimes they can fight over food too. I have heard that Fleaur (the vixen/matriarch fox) is territorial and will drive off foxes she doesn't recognize from her turf (though these 2 guys seem to get along jut fine).
Aw these 2 foxes are feeding together and are getting along just fine. How nice?
On a side note, these web cams have insipired me to get a trail camera of my own. It is not quite the same as a web cam, but it is supposed to go off whenever something goes right by it (like animals at night) and although I have yet to see a fox in my own back yard (though one of my neighbors think that we might have both resident foxes and coyotes), I have seen some coyotes on camera occasionally, which make me think we may have a resident coyote or two. Check out this guy below (this video was taken in my own back yard by the shed):
On another side note. One good place I am aware of where foxes are most common here in Washington State: San Juan Island, especially in the American Camp area of the island. I have heard it is a hot spot for fox sightings before and got to see it for myself when I was there earlier this month (probably saw about 8 different foxes in the area during my hike). Will have to bring my trail cam with me should I go on a camping trip sometime. Might get some foxes on camera if I do (not to say I will have some to share, but you never know). Will have to go there again sometime next year sometime and try and get more footage of them. BTW, unlike the foxes in England, the red foxes here in Washington (especially both at Mount Rainer and on San Juan Island) come in many different colors. You may encounter the traditional red fox variety (with the reddish orange coats) or you may encounter say a cross fox (they have darker fur and a black mask on their faces) like the one I saw near Monroe Washington last December, a black fox (like some of the cascade red foxes at Mt Rainer), or even a silver fox (like some of the ones I saw on San Juan Island that the silver black fur and a black tail with a white tip).
By the way, have you checked out the web cams on Simon King Wildlife's website? Feel free to share your experience or sightings. Also, have you ever been curious about what kinds of wildlife comes through your own back yard? You might want to consider getting a trail camera or a web camera (like the ones that the Simon King Wildlife website has) and you never know what make appearances on your camera. Who knows, you may even get a family of foxes, coyotes, and/or wolves coming through from time to time.
Food for thought: Did my dad see a fox retreating into the woods last year?
I thought I would share a possible fox sighting my dad may have had last November. It was shortly after Halloween and I was helping my dad throw out old pumpkins (there was compost pile area near the woods) and at one point my dad said he saw what looked like a bushy tail and something retreating into the woods. He wasn't sure if it was a fox or coyote, but he did seem to see something. I am not 100% sure if it was he fox he say (could have been a coyote), but one of my neighbors thinks there might be foxes lurking around in my neighborhood in addition to coyotes, and whatever my dad saw disappeared into the woods pretty quickly (reminds me of what most foxes do as soon as they see people, they look at you and run away), plus my golden retriever was closeby too, so my dog probably spooked it as well. One downside to it being a fox is that I can't say I have ever seen a fox in my own neighborhood and they usually come in the form of coyotes instead. Of course, with my trail cam, I will definitely have to keep my eyes peeled for foxes. Seen coyotes and bobcats (along with the usual rabbits, birds, squirrels and opossums) before but no foxes yet (even when setting up the camera right in the area where my dad saw the tail). Of course seeing a fox on my trail camera would be quite the discovery to share if I do see one. Only time will tell for sure of course.
Important Disclaimers about this post:
- Earnings disclosure: I do have some ads on my site (like the ones for Amazon's trail cams) and I may earn a commission if people respond to them. On a side note, contributions are always welcome and earnings will go towards keeping this site alive indefinitely (could open the door to doing more things too like visiting more places and getting better footage of animals), even kicked around the idea of going to Mount Rainer again sometime next year and try and get footage of the cascade red foxes (didn't see them last time I was there, but it might be worth another shot sometime), but can't do it without both the extra time and money.
- About Simon King Wildlife Website. I don't own that website nor the web cams. Nor am I affiliated with them in any way (though I have subscribed to their channel and liked their page on Facebook). Just a blogger and have gotten a kick out of watching the web cams. If you have questions, comments or concerns about their website or the cams, you will probably need to contact the webmaster directly (they would be able answer questions better than I can).
- I don't live in England (Seattle area to be exact) and I can't say I have ever been there either, so I wouldn't know much about England nor am I an expert on the Foxes or Badgers there. I am sure the webmaster at Simon King Wildlife might be able to help you on questions you might have about England. I do live relatively close to Canada (less than about a 2 hour drive north of Everett, Washington) which is kinda similar to England in some ways (much bigger country though) but I have never been to England and wouldn't know much about that country.
- I can't guarantee you will have sightings of foxes or badgers. Sightings usually occur randomly and sometimes they are there and sometimes they are not. I can't really predict when you will have a sighting, though your best bet for having sightings would be anytime between dusk and dawn London time (though sightings can happen during the day time too sometimes, especially late in the afternoon and early in the morning). Nevertheless I can't promise you will have sightings when watching the cameras.
g 
Comments
Post a Comment