Welcome to The Sitting Fox!

Sunday, November 12, 2006 8:16:36 AM

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Welcome to my blog, which is a mainly a diary of my experiences with wildlife in the United Kingdom and Canada smile The SittingFox Homepage

Questions, comments and feedback always welcome... smile

Dogs and CatsNomads Afoot

Comments

ROBUSTAAOTEAROA.KIWI Saturday, March 3, 2007 8:58:29 PM

..zzz coffee..your work is amazing..love it, especially the
Astronomy album...a knockout..faint Its approaching Autumn here in Aotearoa....enjoy Spring...Thanx for sharing such a great blog.bigsmile

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, March 3, 2007 9:11:59 PM

Hi, thanks so much happy

I hope you have a good Autumn and Winter! smile I guess Orion as seen from the UK seems the wrong way up to folks south of the Equator bigeyes but you do of course get the glorious Southern Cross and the Megellanic Clouds smile I would like to see Canopus and Alpha Centuri one day - they never come above the horizon up here!

Hanvordhanvord Monday, March 5, 2007 3:58:46 AM

Congratulate for being the member of the week!Well done!

qubitvn Monday, March 5, 2007 5:41:50 PM

Wow !!! You are the best member of Opera Community , who i have ever seen . Thank you for your great work ! love

Greetings from Vietnam ! bigsmile (Orion Nebula lover wink )

Adele BrandSittingFox Monday, March 5, 2007 7:01:03 PM

@Hanvord - thanks very much bigsmile

Adele BrandSittingFox Monday, March 5, 2007 7:07:52 PM

@Gubitvn, wow, thanks, that's very kind of you happy There's lots of treasures in the Opera community so keep looking around at all the great blogs by other folk here smile

Very nice avatar! Orion's getting a bit close to the western horizon for me now sad but I always look forward to the next winter to see him again!

Adele BrandSittingFox Tuesday, March 6, 2007 6:19:09 AM

Thankyou very much! smile

Valentinaocchidigatto Wednesday, March 7, 2007 1:26:37 PM

Wow,member of the week,congratulations!!! Your blog and your website are very nice!!!And foxes are beautiful!!! Good!! up

Adele BrandSittingFox Wednesday, March 7, 2007 1:42:22 PM

Cheers Valentina bigsmile happy

Unregistered user Saturday, March 17, 2007 11:06:28 PM

Anne writes: Beautiful photos, put me to shame. I live about 90 miles northeast of Toronto just outside of Peterborough Ontario. Had a visit from one of the local wolves this morning.. got to watch him hunting mice for about 15 minutes before he headed into the valley. Took a few photos but they didn't turn out too well. Never mind, it was a privilege to see him that close.

Adele BrandSittingFox Sunday, March 18, 2007 12:07:31 AM

Hi Anne, thanks for your comment smile

Sounds like you had a nice sighting! You're right, it is a privilege to see wild animals and I guess photos are a bit of an extra. By the way, I bought my main camera lens in Toronto in 2005.

I hope the Ontario winter isn't being too harsh right now!

MarieMaGoose Tuesday, March 20, 2007 3:27:32 PM

How wonderful to click in on your blog today! You are doing a beautiful job. One question, I met a man with a Jack Russell Terrier and he told me they had bred foxes into the Jack Russell to improve their hunting abilities. I didn't know that before. Thankfully this little guy is a city dweller, no hunting for him.

Adele BrandSittingFox Tuesday, March 20, 2007 6:36:43 PM

Hi Marie, thanks for your kind words happy

Not sure that man was right though; I don't think foxes and dogs could produce a fertile hybrid. Red foxes have 34 chromosomes and dogs have 78, so it wouldn't really work. Wolves, jackals, dogs and coyotes can all be crossbred as they're much more closely related.

MarieMaGoose Thursday, March 22, 2007 11:12:48 PM

I won't tell him he was wrong if I see them again. Thanx for the info.

Unregistered user Tuesday, April 10, 2007 11:13:24 AM

Curious writes: Hello, I live on the Darling Downs in Queensland Australia. Lately we have been having trouble with foxes. We are on several hundred acres of grazing country, and have packs of quite beautiful silver foxes circling the house dusk and dawn. Two weeks ago, they came to within 30 metres of the house and yipped and yipped. Our cattle dog x corgi went through the wire fence to investigate and was savaged by approx 6 foxes. Even with us standing at the fence screaming at them less then 10 metres away, they wouldn't leave. He managed to drag himself back under the fence. He has 50+ deep punctures and tears from head to tail and had his belly badly damaged. The day after we brought our big German Shepherd onto the property, and the foxes are keeping their distance, but still circle every day at a distance of 50 - 100 metres. Is this normal fox behaviour? I wouldn't have believed they would attack in a pack and be so bold. We normally live and let live, and value all wildlife. We would prefer not to kill them, but what are our options?

Adele BrandSittingFox Tuesday, April 10, 2007 11:34:33 AM

Hi, thanks for your comment. I appreciate your concern for both your animals and the wildlife.

Forgive me but are you certain these are foxes? The colour and behaviour description better fit some kind of dog / dingo cross. Foxes do not hunt in packs and are unlikely to win a fight with any dog larger than a chihuahua. They weigh 6-13 lb, about the same as a tomcat. If you can get a photo you can send it to me at administrator @ thesittingfox.co.uk .

Whatever they are, a hose is a good deterrent and fight breaker and if there's a particular area you wish to keep them away from, I'd recommend an electric fence. But wildlife tends to come only where something attracts it. Again, if these are larger canids, they're probably there because of the dog. Foxes tend to hang around food sources such as litter or abandoned pet food, and also near water. If you can find out what's attracting them and remove it, if possible, it's probably the simplest way to proceed.

You may like to email the British fox project on fox@foxproject.org.uk (I'm not afflicated with them, but they have a lot of experience in providing humane solutions in fox vs chickens situations).

Unregistered user Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:37:37 AM

Curious writes: Thank you for your reply. I will do my best to get a photo for you, however may end up being of one that has been hit by a car and killed, as my camera isn't very good without light. However, I guarantee you they are 100% fox - it is impossible to mistake a fox for a dingo or dog. Our neighbours have also had them around their kennels. From the last one we found hit by a car (a large male) we know he was approx 5 kilos, solid, and silver. Even last night, one sat only 20m away from the house for about 2 hours, with our Shepherd barking at him, with the others around the opposite side of the house. The reason I write is because we find the behaviour so unusual. (They are around because of the cattle water troughs - we are in the middle of a bad drought). Anyway, thanks for the info, and I hope to send you a photo when I get a decent one. All the best.

Adele BrandSittingFox Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:54:47 PM

Cheers - please note that my email address doesn't have spaces in it (I wrote it like that to stop it being harvested by the spambots rolleyes)

You may be interested to look at some of the sonic deterrents for canids on the market. I don't know if CJ Birdfoods ship to Australia but it may be worth asking. Do you have water troughs further away from your house that they would be able to utilise instead? Obviously if they have become dependent on the troughs for their survival, given your current weather issues, then this may not be a suitable approach.

Their apparent boldness is probably due to experience - foxes have a "flight distance" outside of which they feel comfortable in their ability to outrun people. A fox that rarely sees people errs on the side of caution whereas one familiar with us knows we're quite slow. This is actually quite natural; in natural ecosystems they sit and calmly watch wolves from a safe distance, hankering after scraps from caribou carcasses etc. One of my foxes tolerates our Leonberger (a giant breed the size of a St Bernard) within a few metres, because he has learnt that she says the right side of the fence.

Perhaps the drought is making hunting difficult, and they are approaching dog kennels after smelling dogfood? I hope the rain comes soon. Good luck up

Stardancer Tuesday, July 3, 2007 11:03:31 PM

Wonderful blog, and beautiful pictures!

Adele BrandSittingFox Wednesday, July 4, 2007 12:39:17 AM

Thankyou Stardancer! happy

HenryAOTEAROAnz Friday, September 21, 2007 11:19:53 AM

...Yaaaayyy..
Congratulations....party..yes..party

Jaridiokenes Tuesday, October 30, 2007 11:31:11 PM

Yeap, these photos has done my day, now i can go to sleep, and for sure i´ll have very nice dreams.
Thank you.
smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Wednesday, October 31, 2007 2:36:39 PM

Thankyou Henry and Jari! happy

Keilarina~Keilarina~ Sunday, November 11, 2007 10:47:43 PM

hello SittingFox, you have very nice blog and beautiful photos n amazing pen works smile im happy that i find a new naturelover friend like you... best wishes:)

Adele BrandSittingFox Monday, November 12, 2007 7:51:14 AM

Thankyou Keilarina! happy

smile

Lorenzolor74cas Monday, December 17, 2007 7:40:51 AM

Grat pics and great top2 title banner !

Adele BrandSittingFox Monday, December 17, 2007 6:08:35 PM

Thanks very much! happy The fox and scenery come from the UK and the grizzly bear is from Alberta bigsmile

Keilarina~Keilarina~ Friday, December 21, 2007 9:40:44 PM

Best Wishesss smile
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/5594/merryxmas1vr9.gif -

Adele BrandSittingFox Friday, December 21, 2007 10:16:23 PM

Oh! Thankyou!

Merry Christmas to you too! smile

Keilarina~Keilarina~ Friday, December 21, 2007 11:52:25 PM

Your welcome and thank You happy

Unregistered user Thursday, January 10, 2008 6:17:49 PM

James Delorme writes: :D Hi Adel. It is nice to see the pics you made when you were visiting us in orford Bay. We should keep in touch. Please come back to see the Grizzly's when you can. Take Care. James, Homalco Wildlife Tours. 250.923.0619 j.delorme@bidc.ca

Adele BrandSittingFox Thursday, January 10, 2008 8:00:51 PM

Hi James, great to hear from you! bigsmile Thanks very much for showing us all those grizzlies - it was a truly amazing experience, one of the best wildlife watching adventures I've had smile

Hope all is well and the winter hasn't been too rough, though I've heard stories of heavy snow in the western side of the island bigeyes

Arnaudarnaud1369 Sunday, June 1, 2008 8:32:30 PM

A very short comment to thank you for the blog and of course your beautiful photos.

:-)

Adele BrandSittingFox Monday, June 2, 2008 5:54:11 PM

Hi Arnaud, thankyou very much for your nice compliment! smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Friday, July 18, 2008 3:52:19 PM

Thanks very much! smile

HenryAOTEAROAnz Friday, July 18, 2008 8:58:49 PM

happy

Unregistered user Saturday, August 16, 2008 2:49:27 AM

momable writes: Hey, I give up. What is a "fossy cat" or a "fossy"???

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, August 16, 2008 5:41:57 AM

Merely word play on "pussy"! It has no meaning. Sorry to have sent you on a wild goose chase p

ThingsofmeCoisasdemim Monday, November 10, 2008 12:43:12 PM

My friend in fact are the hours in which our soul is lost in the beauty that we truly live...thanks, just amazing!smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Monday, November 10, 2008 6:20:46 PM

Thankyou for your kind words! smile

Mattmatt21will Wednesday, December 3, 2008 6:15:39 AM

Fantastic. Thank you so much for this wonderful blog, it has brightened up my morning :-) first rate photography too , and your cat...too lovely for words!
Thank you again.

Adele BrandSittingFox Thursday, December 4, 2008 5:33:32 PM

Hi Matt, thanks very much for your kind comments and for visiting here! smile

The cat is a sweetie. She's 18 years old and considers herself the owner of the upstairs of the course, of course! queen

derspecht Wednesday, December 10, 2008 12:28:17 AM

You have really wonderfull pics! Thank you very much for sharing!

Adele BrandSittingFox Wednesday, December 10, 2008 7:24:10 AM

Thankyou very much! bigsmile

Adele BrandSittingFox Tuesday, March 31, 2009 5:11:43 PM

Hi, thanks! smile

Unregistered user Saturday, August 29, 2009 2:22:17 PM

nicephotog writes: I have written a forum site to attempt to make a centralised forum for Wolves and alike(canidae). It's recently opened and aimed at such alike yourself/selves and i am attempting to find members who will locate to its usage. http://www.wild-canidae-conservation-forum.netne.net/index.php?usern=QW5vbnltb3Vz&pswr=eml6eml6eg== Hope this has not bothered you.

Adele BrandSittingFox Sunday, August 30, 2009 8:39:18 AM

Hi, thanks for the link and good luck with your forum up

Freya RedFreya Thursday, December 31, 2009 5:39:02 PM

Have a happy and peaceful (but fox filled) New Year. ps I saw a fox trotting down our road. I knew they were around, but never actually saw one here. I am not usually up at 3am !! zzz
Anhdepblog.com
Ảnh đẹp cho Blog

Adele BrandSittingFox Thursday, December 31, 2009 6:19:08 PM

Hi Freya, thanks very much and same to you!! party bigsmile

Wow, I don't know how many foxes I'd see if mine liked to travel about at 3am!! faint Judging from the trail cam, the middle of the night is actually quiet for fox activity here. Interesting!

Bill PattersonGreying_Geezer Tuesday, January 26, 2010 9:50:52 PM

Hi Adele,
I'm not much of a blog follower, but I noticed that you are 1/3 of the way through the alphabet and thought I'd check it out. Great blog! Good photos and very interesting commentary.

With your interest in wild dogs and cats, I don't know whether you heard that last summer a young lady from Toronto was killed by a pack of coyotes while hiking on a trail on Cape Breton Island. The naturalists are stumped as to an explanation, and (according to the mass media) are wondering whether it's a changing behaviour pattern brought about through interbreeding of coyotes with wolves.

Also, for years there have been sightings reported of cougars in eastern Canada (and the US)(Eastern Cougar Foundation)(Royal Ontario Museum), and I believe that it was in 2009 (maybe 2008) that their presence was finally confirmed by a DNA analysis of some scat. So far as I know, biologists haven't determined whether the cats are a resurgence of the eastern cougar, thought by many to be extinct, or a territorial spread of the western cougar. But then as a biologist with a particular interest along these lines, you likely know far more about it than I, despite being "across the pond".

Bill

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