Vixen’s Den?
Following on from Thursday’s post, this hole in the ground might not be a vixen’s birthing den after all! My camera trap didn’t record fox activity last night, and I wasn’t nipped when I reached in the hole to investigate further. I couldn’t feel the back wall, but a definite foxy smell wafted from the entrance. I’ve been fooled by vixens before; she might be in there cwtched-up with her newly born cubs. Many times in the past, I’ve videoed various animals (potential fox dinners) wandering around outside a den entrance, apparently unaware of a vixen and six cubs tucked up quietly inside. I will put a camera trap at the hole again next week.
(Click on the image to see the video)
Looks like an old den
It is, David. the marsh vixens rarely dig new dens on Wilden Marsh. The vixen moves the cubs to alternative dens at the drop of a hat; a favourite location is in with the badgers.
This is what the den entrance looks like when the cubs move outside,
https://videos.files.wordpress.com/anCCoiij/feeding-time_hd.mp4
Hi Michael thanks for your reply. That last clip is superb. I’m currently discreetly watching several holes/dens in one area nearby and so far have one night clip of a fox entering a den but not coming out again in the 12 hour camera range time. Will be interested to hear what happens at your den.
Keep trying. Here is another video from: https://videos.files.wordpress.com/e1Idycvg/red-haired-girl1_hd.mp4