Once you've smelt a fox you will never mistake that smell again..... their really is not another smell like it.
Here's the tree lined pathway that I had not walked before. It was dark and muddy but held a nice surprise which I smelt before I saw it..
This is a typical fox den, and one that I think as just recently started to be used as it was still relatively clean outside. A foxes den is usually a single entrance hole that may originally have been made by a rabbit or badger. I was sure the fox was at home as the smell around the entrance hole was overpowering. I had seen scats from a fox in one or two spots on my walk..... most had been near to openings in the hedgerows and like the den the smell was a giveaway what had done them... I was still surprised to see this den where it was.... as a number of cottages were a stone throws away. Horses were stabled nearby... and chickens were pecking away. I'm sure as soon as the owners realise this fox is there it's days are numbered. The path where I found this is a public footpath... very muddy in places and didn't show much signs of use.... on the other side of the trees the field is a few feet higher, with a path along the field that I'm sure the folks from the cottages use... as it is well trodden, dry and leads directly to the end cottage.
6 comments:
I'm a foxy fan.
I don't think I know the smell though.
I love foxes also but I don't think I know there smell. While viisting my sister this spring there was a mom fox who visited the permenent cottagers for handouts. She would wait for about 30 minutes at each cottage and if no one offered up some treat she would go fetch her own, a squirrel or a chipmunk and show it off as she trotted back to her den....very adaptable.
Great post Tom. Have a great day.
Blessings and smiles
Hi Foxy Tom. Super walk.
You do use you eyes when you are out walking - I would never have noticed. One up to you!
I came across this about the Scent of the Fox....
"Fox scent is deposited from glands on the Fox’s feet and close to the base of the tail, and can often be detected by our relatively insensitive human noses – the scent hangs on the air for lengthy periods of time and has a strong, earthy aroma that is not wholly unpleasant."
I don't know about the last bit.... as it as made my eyes water and gag a number of times.
Just to set thimgs right..... I do like seeing Foxes around the area and always prefer seeing one running across a field then shot or poisoned and hung out for all to see.
We have them in the field at the back of our house and come across then in the street, some say they kill cats.... but there no shotage of cat around here and as far as I know none have been killed locally. The girl who lives 3 doors up from us did have her rabbit killed and dragged off by a fox, but that one did have young to feed. I fully understand why folks who have livestock need them killing when targeted though... if you spend time and money on your stock it is only right to eradicate any threat to it.
I've never smelled a fox. I should pay more attention! We had one roaming our neighbourhood last year but a new housing development across the way has put an end to that.
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