The Fox Breeding Season Begins Again
Fox on the marsh
It begins again: the fox breeding season in the Lower Stour Valley.
Red Dog’s mating season peaks in January.
In February the vixen will den; whether this happens on Wilden Marsh, in Hoo Wood, or along the steep sides of the valley, I can’t say. I hope it will happen on the marsh. I will try to find this year’s den, but it has not been easy in the past.
The cubs will be born in March, and they will first appear above ground on a warm day in April.
Back in 2012 I found the marsh vixen’s den in Hoo Brook Pasture. Below are links to posts recording the cub’s early day at the den:
Fox den: first visit
Fox den: second visit
Fox den: third visit
Fox den: fourth visit
Fox den: fifth visit
Fox den: fifth visit
Fox den: sixth visit
This is a beautiful photograph!
Do you think he looks happy, Anne?
A fox reflecting. Great photo. We have fox out here but really never see them. The neighbor found a dead fox along the ditch last year.
Thanks! I’ve never found a dead fax, at least none that I can remember.
Very cool post; I hope you’re able to find the fox’s den and follow their activities this year!
Thanks Josh. I will certainly do my best to find an active fox den on the marsh this year. Even when I have found the vixen in her den in the past, she has moved them on to more than one den; she will move the cubs if she senses danger. If the vixen is still not happy that the den is secure, she will move the cubs to a third den.
After I found a den in Hoo Brook Pasture, back in 2012, it was late in the cubs’ development, so the vixen didn’t wasn’t too concerned, but she did move the cubs after my 6th visit.
Well then, that’s very clever on the vixen’s part. Of course you mean her and her cubs no harm, but there’s no way she can know that.
She is concerned only for the wellbeing of her cubs. The vixen’s main worry, when the cubs are still in the den, is marauding cats. Cats are attracted to cubs’ urine.
Oh wow, I hadn’t realized that cats kill fox cubs. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised though; cats kill whatever they can.
I enjoyed reading your fox adventures and the images you captured from 2012, Michael.