Egypt4u

No sound Kiya, just 30 seconds of the cubs being very much 'at home'.

Dad is limping with perhaps a thorn in his right rear paw, mum is looking sad at present but hopefully she will look better after she stops caring for the cubs, I think she is still suckling them....

Thankyou. clicked and opened. Does it smell really bad in your garden, Grandad ? I always knew when a male fox had been around -

Great topic Grandad, will comment more later

Jayway wrote: Does it smell really bad in your garden, Grandad ? I always knew when a male fox had been around -

Actually no, Jayway. I am well aware of that pungent odour but I think this guy had some D&G for Christmas.
Or perhaps it is very strong only when they want to attract a female for mating. They make an awful lot of noise early in the year when pairing up and mating, sounds like somebody being murdered

Cloudy, grey and windy today We waited for the late spring which happened for 2 days week before last Now waiting for summer so not much happening outside. The Fox family came again last evening and just an hour or so ago mum came to collect some of the meaty chunks dog food. She is beginning to look much better and hopefully she has finished suckling the cubs and will now regain her condition. I now don't think she has mange. This is how she looked.....

I've seen mange on dogs and usually it is large areas of no fur at all. Your fox just looks scruffy (probably from all the nursing).

Since Grandad has the small animal and wild bird categories of backyard beasts covered I thought I'd add what is in MY backyard these days.......



This young buck and his brother (not sure right now where the bro is) used to live in my backyard 'til I fenced it with 6' fencing. Now they're grazing right up the outside of my fence and technically this guy is in the neighbours yard. I sure hope he doesn't decide to jump the fence cause he'd have the ability to do major damage in my yard now that I'm basically finished and have lots of blueberry bushes, small shrubs and perennials planted.

Not that I dislike deer at all but some of the neighbours have felt the need to tame these via feeding them at the back and doors of their houses so these guys have now lost all fear, have really stopped foraging and have no problem coming right up to your front door. They are definitely dangerous on the roads as they wander about with no fear that they could get hit by a car. I wish people had more common sense and left these guys to be wild vs feeding them such that they come in and destroy gardens (and they do - major problem here)

Just had to compete with Grandad re: wild safaris in the urban backyard

What a beautiful creature LLL I can't compete with that... But I do know what you mean about feeding and encouraging wildlife. We only put food out for the foxes while the cubs were small to try to help to ensure they got plenty of nutrition. The problem is if they get too confident you cannot risk leaving doors open. Our immediate neighbour went into their lounge a while ago and found a fox reclining on the rug

My little corner has been very quiet particularly since all the new chicks have flown and the fox cubs are now foraging for themselves. I did walk along the embankment yesterday to check on the ash trees. I don't think it has reached across the Atlantic but we have a serious fungus attacking ash trees called ash dieback (it has a long latin name but dieback is the popular description) There is concern that it will kill all ash trees in the UK and our forestry commission is anxious to recieve reports from around the country to monitor the spread of this disease.

Happily every ash tree and sapling I saw was looking very healthy with great canopy and green leaf growth. I shall keep an eye on them and report any change but unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to stop the spread which is airborne spores.

Was walking by Grandad's yard and caught him training his squirrels into tricks!



Am thinking this guy is going to have a harder time balancing Grandad once you make the rope smaller..



Good job with all your training efforts though. You'll have to get the albino squirrels into the act too.........SOON we'll be seeing that robin in your hand

Crazy squirrels LLL All mine seem to do is get trapped inside the feeder cages designed 'TO KEEP THEM OUT'

This one of Jayways pictures from the red side......I just HAVE to make some of those

They are brilliant

I like the corn cobs on stands with all the squirrels in place. That woud be quite cute to watch them. Am thinking they'd be easy to make too. Cost of the corn might get high IF you had an active groupie of squirrels eating on them.

I like the corn cobs on stands with all the squirrels in place. That woud be quite cute to watch them. Am thinking they'd be easy to make too. Cost of the corn might get high IF you had an active groupie of squirrels eating on them.

Great photos from you both

That is actually Jayways picture Kiya but I am already in production of a couple of 'Squirrel Chairs' myself for my lot

Looking forward to seeing your photos too Grandad

A few days since my last post here. All the birds are doing fine and the new chicks are now fending for themselves. The cubs are growing and the one I was worried about is doing OK now and is usually the first to come and see if there are any tit bits on the bank. They must be residing very nearby now because if I put out some dog food the cubs must smell it and appear within seconds.

I made two of the squirrel corn on the cob feeders; a bit rough and rustic . It took them a day to get confidence to try them but now they are gong to bankrupt me supplying the cobs. Their manners are not too good and they will sit on the seat with their feet on the table I have not yet got a pic with squirrels on both feeders but here is a white and a grey on the upper one.

You've got those squirrels eating in the lap of luxury Grandad! Soon they'll be wanting A/C and reclining seats!

They do sell dried corn cobs here but it is so so pricey.......you'll have to ration them to one or 2 cobs per day!

Great job Grandad they look brilliant

Looking good Grandad