Everything is Permuted

I've just realized that I haven't posted anything about the local bird life recently. It's still there of course. The greenfinches have re-established themselves in the garden, along with the wood pigeons crows and magpies. The swallows are still circling overhead before they head back to Africa for the winter, and today I saw four different species of birds of prey. First was a sparrowhawk (seen from the car), and then out walking I saw a buzzard and (eventually) a kestrel. The surprise package was this. It flew over quickly and I only grabbed a few frames, but enough to confirm that it's a hobby.
Hobby

There were numerous smaller birds as well, including this charming whinchat. They were busy flitting back and forth, trying hard to keep out of sight.
Whinchat

It was later, along the edge of the race track, that I saw the kestrel. I'd spotted it flying low across the grass and it took me a few minutes to find it.
Kestrel

She was enjoying the view at the end of the runs used by the local jockeys to exercise the horses. On the runs themselves several wheatears were searching for insects among the wood chippings.


That was today. Last night was about the badger, and the fox. Bold had taken up her usual spot at the front of the garden. She's there now, as I type this, looking very much as she did last night.


But she wasn't the only one about yesterday. All evening we'd heard rustlings and thumps from nearby. There are two other foxes, both impossibly shy. Judging from the trail cam footage I've been getting, there's a male and a younger/smaller fox, possibly a young vixen. They're often together. Plus - if I'm being strictly accurate - a fourth fox. 'Stumpy' still makes a brief appearances on the trail cam, though he is very much the outsider of the four. Anyway, I'm fairly sure this photo is the younger vixen. Curiosity was just enough to tempt it out from cover. The photo isn't up to much I'm afraid.


Finally, here's some video. As it happens, the badger last night positioned itself perfectly between me and the trail cam, so (unusually) I'm in the clips. Plus, as an added extra, there's a few seconds at the end of the two shy foxes. Do take a look



Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 400D. Various lenses used. The birds were all taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. Both foxes were photographed with the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.