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
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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,
[video src="https://videos.files.wordpress.com/anCCoiij/feeding-time_hd.mp4" /]
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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.
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Keep trying. Here is another video from: https://videos.files.wordpress.com/e1Idycvg/red-haired-girl1_hd.mp4
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