Affectionate Foxes

This evening has turned out to be very special, we have spent many years watching the foxes in the garden. Usually we see them eat together, as cubs we watch them play together and at times we have even seen them fight, but this evening we were lucky enough to watch our first show of affection between them.

The food was scattered across a section of the lawn as always, the new male turned up first, after a few minutes the female came also, she was as relaxed as ever and lay down while she ate. When the food appeared to have been eaten the female remained laying down, while the male mooched about the lawn as if looking for missed scraps. Eventually he made his way across to the female and began licking her face and ears and the top of her head. This was done in an unhurried manner while she remained laying down and lifting her head up towards him.

A Journey from Hertfordshire to Oxfordshire

After all the recent high winds and torrential rain we have endured lately it was a pleasure to wake to clear blue skies and bright sunshine this morning, the temperature was an enjoyable 9.5 degrees celsius, and we were on our way to a family reunion.

The flooded fields are much less now and although we may encounter some roads with water running down the edges we don't expect to see any that are totally flooded.The hazels are particularly eye catching this year, I cannot ever remember seeing such an abundance of catkins before. This autumn is going to be especially good for squirrels, mice, humans and all other creatures who love hazel nuts.

We have just passed a lone hazel bush, it was growing from the  green verge and was well forward of the bare brown hedgerow behind it. Standing alone as it was, we were able to fully appreciate its natural shape and the pretty picture it made, with the morning sunshine illuminating the hundreds of golden, sunlit golden catkins dangling from the branches. It reminded me of a Christmas tree.

We pass an area of countryside and across one of the fields a huge wall of earth has been built, I wonder at the reason for this, there is no flooding in the field or those nearby, so it cannot be a flood defence. I shall keep an eye on it during the year and see what evolves.

Surprisingly we pass more earth barricades, these are edging fields that edge the motorway, glancing back I see that the fields at the back of them are flooded, so perhaps they are there for flood defence against the motorway suffering an excess of water. Maybe they are there for aesthetic reasons, perhaps to shield the view of the motorway or even to offset some of the noise or pollution.

The trees are still bare and skeletal and seeing them standing in grand isolation in the middle of fields or even along field boundaries, they are very attractive. Each species is so individual and although I always thought it easier to identify trees by their leaves, I now wonder if it wouldn't be easier to type them when they are bare.

On the M25 we pass a bucket lying in the road and I fear for the danger it presents. The lorry following us hit it and suddenly there was a "snow" storm of black plastic filling the immediate area, but what happened to the metal handle, I wondered.

Occasionally we see broom in full flower, its vivid yellow blossom bright against the dark green of its evergreen foliage. It is a bright and beautiful addition to the motorway verges.

I love the landscape on both sides of the M25, between Rickmansworth and the M40 turnoff, there is a point when the fields dip and rise and I am reminded of the gentle slopes of the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds.

I had been admiring the deep, deep maroon colour on the new shoots of the silver birch tree, when we pass a tree smothered in small white blossom, this is a surprise so early in the year and I wonder if it is an early bullace.

Nearing our destination I smile to see the informal hedge of yellow winter flowering jasmine growing wild and untamed on the verge alongside the road, I wonder how it came to first grow there.

The last to write about on this almost over journey is a stretch of beautiful bright white, delicate snowdrops. It is good to know that over the years they will continue to bloom and increase, thereby giving so much pleasure to so many passersby.

A New Mate for the Female Fox?

This evening turned out to be very special, I put the fox food out as usual and a few minutes later when I checked there were two foxes sharing it. One was the usual female we see every night and the other was a new fox. He was darker than the female and slightly larger. He was also very timid, from the kitchen windows we could watch him in safety, but as soon as we moved the lounge curtains and he caught sight of us he was off.

For the next few nights we will observe him only from the kitchen in order to give him time to adjust to being in the garden and then we will slowly build up our watching from the lounge, in order that he will grow as used to us as the female.

Could our female have found a new mate?

English Countryside from Hertfordshire to Papworth in Cambridgeshire

 Today is a calm and serene day after the gale force winds and torrential rain of the past weeks, however it is a cold day, the temperature is just six degrees.

We are passing mile after mile of flooded fields.

The roadside verges are made pretty by the subtle colours of winter, last year's straw coloured dead and dried grasses still stand tall, stiff bare, red stemmed shrubs rise up from the verges, shining sunlit silver birch trunks and branches catch our eye, while still clinging tenaciously to bare branches, are last year's rusty coloured oak leaves and mid brown dry bunches of sycamore seeds (we used to refer to these as sycamore keys when I was a child). Mossy green lichen festoons trunks and branches of trees, while red rose hips and deeper red haws are still hanging in abundance. The long arms of old man's beard have reached far and can be seen draping over and curtaining bushes.

The dark green leaves of bramble have stretched and spread their prickly extensions winding over, under, around and through anything in their way. The intention being to drop to the earth as often as possible and sink new roots into the ground, in order to self perpetuate the plant. Anyone who has ever tussled with these plants will know how successfully they manage this, the grip of the new roots is fearsome in a very short time. One of my favourites, hazel catkins are still prettying the roadside edges and can now be seen in varying shades of green, yellow and brown. Today it is windless, there is no noticeable movement of air and the catkins hang still.

On the A10 just north of Ware we spot our first red kite and as we reach Reed we see our second, this is exciting because it is not often we see red kites so near to home. (Although we did once see one above our garden).

Just before we reach Royston we see a whole roadside area thickly covered by snowdrops, they are so beautiful, a little further on is a bank spangled with bright yellow daffodils, against the strong green of the grass they look stunning.

On the verge of the A505 we passed about a dozen crows, which I was delighted to see. Their glossy black coats shining in the bright sunshine and them moving busily about digging in the grass.

At Bassingbourne, the landscape views across the beautiful English countryside, stretch for miles and they are a pleasure to drive through. Here we also see fields of unusually coloured sheep, they are deep brown and off white and very eye catching.

A little further on we see the very grand back gate to Wimpole Hall, where a flock of crows fly over us and almost immediately we see a typical English woodland, prettily bedecked by snowdrops. It will be interesting later on to see if bluebells also grow there.

Willow trees are very pretty at this time of year, their long pendulous branches are just showing first signs of fresh, new spring growth. It is very attractive, but a strange colour to describe, in the sunshine it is a pale, golden brown but shaded growth is a fresh light spring green colour.

At intervals we see young saplings growing alone on the verge and we are amused to see not bare branches but what looks like an enormous mop head. This is because last year, old man's beard snaked up the trees and entwining itself, flowered in the uppermost branches, now the flowers have died and become glorious large, silver-grey, fluffy seed heads, adorning the young trees and causing them to look for all the world, like old fashioned kitchen floor mops.

Flooded Fields and a Dead Fox

A walk this afternoon to view the flooded fields and our lane and to photograph them. The river has widened amazingly as it overspilled its banks and is now one with the water on the fields. The floods are still rising, the trees within and the bushes that divide the fields are now standing in a few feet of water.

 Gulls were very happily floating on their new wet territory, and several large black corvids were feasting round the edges. In the centre of one flooded field was a young swan, he must have been born last year because he still had a fair amount of brown feathers amongst his new white ones.

On the flooded river we saw two other swans both mature and swimming leisurely along. A short way on were another two mature swans, this time they were sitting together on the edge of the river. It is a long time since we saw five swans on and around the river, so perhaps they are increasing in number in this area.

The female fox has of late been visiting us alone, today we found the male by the roadside, he had been knocked down and killed, so sadly once again the female is on her own.

Female Pheasants, Blue and Great Tits.

A very wet day, however I was cheered this morning by three fluffed out, fat looking female pheasants scratching in the end flower border. As yet they still spend their time away from the males, although this will soon change.

The garden was also filled with blue and great tits. I have noticed the birds are starting to pair up and investigate nesting sites.

Hertfordshire to Oxfordshire

Today is bright and sunny, no wind and a mild feeling. the temperature is seven and a half degrees celsius.

We are on the old A414 and passing flooded fields and swollen rivers which are lost in the flood of the fields.

Turning on to the A10 we soon see on each motorway verge, endless hazel trees, each one festooned gloriously with hanging catkins in varying shades of brown, green and yellow, my favourite being the ones which are the same shade as wild primroses (Primula Vulgaris). Primroses were Disraeli's favourite flower and at his funeral Queen Victoria sent a posy of Primroses with a note which read "His favourite flower, from Osbourne ...".

However I digressed. On the offside bank just before we turn off for the A414, we see several trees uprooted and laying at odd angles. I can only guess that these are a by-product of the mini tornado that passed through this area yesterday.

We are almost in Hertford now and passing more flooded fields with flocks of Canada geese enjoying the water. Leaving Hertford we pass under dark grey storm clouds and into bright sunshine again, the temperature has risen to nine degrees.

We pass Hatfield where there is much standing water around, we have luckily just missed a heavy rainfall but the sky still looks dark and foreboding.

On to the M25, there is dense bush and tree growth along the verges the white trunks and branches of the birch trees stand out very attractively amongst the rest of the brown and green that populate the motorway edges. It is mid- afternoon on a Tuesday and it is surprising how much traffic there is on the motorway, we are also constantly beset by heavy rain showers.

We turn onto the M40, there are again many hazels displaying their eye catching catkins, but also we are delighted to see bright yellow broom in full bloom. We pass a row of dark forbidding looking conifers, they must be a wonderful shelter for birds during this cold and wet winter, when most other trees are bare. Away to the right we spot great balls of mistletoe, suspended from the highest branches of these distant trees. Catkins hanging from hazels festoon the banks at the edges of the M40 and are a constant delight.

We are now approximately twenty-seven miles from Oxford, the sun is shining, the sky is blue with many soft white clouds and everywhere I look appears to be dry.

So many of the trees on the verge of the motorway are swamped by dense growths of ivy, and I wonder if it will be the downfall of them meanwhile it is a good shelter for wildlife. I spot the first red kite of the journey. In places the white seed heads of old man's beard stretch across the tops of bushes and trees, draping themselves and hanging like curtains. As we pass the turning for Stokenchurch we see a second solitary red .kite. On three sides of us we have an amazing view of the countryside, the fields are a rich spring green and stretch away for miles. We pass a slightly flooded field with forty to fifty gulls in the water, while circling above I see three red kites.

We pass fields of sheep happily grazing in the bright sunshine on the rich green grass. Turning off the M40 I watch two birds flying almost together and am fascinated to watch their different styles.The magpie with his fiercely flapping wings is such a contrast to the slow majestic flight of the nearby red kite, with his outspread wings slowly but surely carrying him.

In Little Milton we come upon flooded roads and water spurting up from a drain cover in the road, a lone pigeon sits high above on the telegraph wire, solemnly surveying his world. The sky is very clouded now with banks of clouds in varying shades of grey, many with edges of brightness.

It is 3:30 pm and we are almost at our journey's end, the temperature has dropped to eight degrees.

Mini Tornado

We were assailed by the forces of nature when a mini tornado passed through this area. The noise of the wind was big and roaring and I have not seen trees bend and bow as greatly, since the great storm of 1987, when we were roused from sleep not only by the roaring of the wind but also tiles being ripped from the roof of our house. Then as now M refused to move or be interested, then staying in bed and now at the laptop, telling me there was nothing he could do. Probably quite right of course, however my reaction was quite different and after looking at the force of the wind on the trees from the lounge window I went to the kitchen, by now we were assailed by very heavy rain and hail, so much so that with the ferocity of the driving wind behind it, we had a 'white out' and I was unable to see more than a few feet from the window. In a nearby town, roofs were torn from houses, trees uprooted, cars and caravans overturned and a train was snatched from its rails. Fortunately it didn't last too long but while it did last it was frightening to see and hear the power of nature unleashed.

Lone Female Fox

I have a feeling something has happened to the dog fox, the female is once again on her own. For a few nights now she has fed alone with no sign of the male.

This is sad because if she is pregnant, a male would help her with feeding the young. However if she is alone, it is a hard task for her to cope with the demands of a young family. She will have to leave them while she goes out to feed and as the cubs grow older and need food brought to them she will have the worry of leaving them alone while she is away. This is not so bad while her cubs are very young, but as they grow older and start to  explore, this is when the danger sets in. Perhaps the biggest danger to them are roads, this is the major cause of fox death in this country.

Should she be lucky enough to have a partner, then he will bring food to the den for her while the cubs are very young. Later when the cubs start weaning, then he will bring food to help feed them, but this is when she will also be hunting for food for them. As the cubs grow older and more adventurous they will be tempted to leave the den and to follow their mother, this is the time when they are most at risk.