Fox Courtship

About 8.00pm last night I heard the distinctive cry of a fox. Courtship and mating takes place in December to January. I watched from our front window and sure enough there was a fox trotting up the road. It crossed over to our side of the road and up the back alley that starts just past our house. This fox was quickly followed by a second. The street lights did not afford much illumination so we put on our porch light.

One of the foxes came back down the track disappeared up the road and then returned the same way. Up the dark alley way it was difficult to make out much. Lots of blood curdling screams that brought neighbours with torches investigating the source. Another fox trotted up the alley, now there was three. I grabbed my camera and stood at the corner of our house where I could see straight up the track. Occasionally a fox shape would cross the track silhouetted against the street light in the distance. Where I was standing I was about 3 metres from where the foxes passed (my shape was hidden against the house in the gloom). It started to rain and I was not really dressed for it in my slippers and sweatshirt. I stayed close to the house avoiding most of the rain.

After about 3/4 hour a fox came down the track and I took a couple of pictures (this is the best one because of the extra light) before it disappeared down the road. I then went back inside but the calls of the foxes continued for at least another hour.