(just) Two Fox Kits
A Sad Day (maybe) - Blackwater NWR, MD
It appears that there are only 2 remaining kits. They've been moved to a new spot, and while Wednesday at the old spot 5 kits were present, today there were just 2 at the new spot.
The old den appears to have been claimed/reclaimed by another animal (maybe a Nutria according to another visitor.) It doesn't seem to me like a Nutria would take out a fox, but who knows.
I've seen the kits 3 days total now, in the past 8.
Saturday 3/29/2008 - 1st time seen by me, I saw 4 in the morning, and then all 5 later
in the day.
Wednesday 4/2/2008 - 2nd time, still 5, they were active in the afternoon and around
sunset (after I left).
Saturday 4/5/2008 - 3rd time, today, they were moved to a new den, and appear to be
just 2 now, unless there's 3 that didn't come out (don't think this is
likely, but after a move, maybe?), or that 3 were moved to a third
location (praying for this).
From what I heard today, (only) 2 kits were seen at the old den spot yesterday.
There's been a good bit of activity / visitors when I've been there. It's sort of hard to miss a couple of photographers, and people stop, and want to see things for themselves. I've tried to not draw much attention to the spot(s) while there, and sometimes, many times, that worked, but other times people showed up and realized there were foxes there...
A volunteer came by today late in the day, I'd been in that area for a while, too long I realized, and they said that 'momma won't come around if visitors are there, and people have been in the area a lot during the last week.' I've never seen a parent near the den, so I'd tend to agree with that. I left, and felt guilty. I don't think my presence was enough to have an impact on feeding or their protection by itself, but it could have contributed to a cumulative effect, and I'm not happy about that.
I'm curious as to what happened to the other kits. They're small when it comes to foxes, but easily the size of a full grown cat already. Wednesday when I got to that area early in the day, an eagle was perched nearby. I've never seen an eagle in that spot before. They tend to frequent certain trees or areas, and this was not one of those.... I wonder if a bald eagle would take out a fox kit, and do it one per day for 3 days? It would be too heavy to fly off with for sure, but the kits might be too naive or slow to react to fend for them selves vs. an eagle. But, I don't think that was the problem, if there was one. The kits did run back to the den when they got afraid, and on a couple of occasions one let out a yelp of fear, and they all reacted and hid instantly.
I'm really hoping that the other 3 are ok, and somewhere else.
(It's days like today that I learn or realize something, and walk away questioning everything.)
Comments and faves
somesai, Hot Flash Photography, heathermg7, wintercove, and 55 other people added this photo to their favorites.
1bluecanoe (51 months ago | reply)
A kit is not too big for an eagle...its a wild world and animals rarely die of old age...so when you see such beauty as you seem to find, it is cause of celebration for that moment.
somesai (51 months ago | reply)
Wow this is incredible! double the cuteness
Ahmed Ikleel (51 months ago | reply)
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nice capture
Hot Flash Photography (51 months ago | reply)
I can see why you're concerned. I guess any time we interfere with the natural rhythm of wild life we screw up something. I find it so interesting how nature interacts. Example: birds feeding at the feeder, squirrel comes up and stirs up all kinds of hell but the birds still hang out a few feet away. I show up to chase the squirrel away so the birds can feed in peace (not making a big show of it just showing up) and everybody takes off. How's that for feeling unloved. Not to make light of your concerns. Just kinda shows how we all impact life in different ways. Maybe you just have the best fox shots ever and leave it at that.. I would have a tough time not coming back to check, though.
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wintercove (51 months ago | reply)
This is something I've never seen. Super eye-level shot!
Boomer-23 (51 months ago | reply)
Wow, Jon! Great commentary, and definitely something for all of us to remember!
MNesterpics (51 months ago | reply)
i have often thought about how i impact wildlife and the nature balance, but i would have done the same things you have done
these are some great shots
Tall Bob (51 months ago | reply)
Just too cute! Great stuff Jon!
Buikschuivers (51 months ago | reply)
Aww...how adorable! I hope the other's are fine...
--x--
gmr2048 (51 months ago | reply)
Thanks for the update, Jon. Hopefully you caught the family mid-move.
Doing a bit of reading, there are accounts of golden eagles which prey on a particular species of fox. This makes me think that kits aren't too big for an adult eagle to make off with.
A bit more reading shows an estimate that eagles can lift between 5 and 6 pounds.
By late last Wednesday, the kits were venturing pretty far down the road (30 feet or so). If an eagle decided to make a pass at that point, I don't know that they could get all the way back to the den in time. And it only goes to follow that the kits would venture farther and farther from the den as the days went on and they became more confidant.
Steven Fought Photography aka: FŏtFōtō (51 months ago | reply)
Another great shot, hope the others are ok, very interesting story.
gmr2048 (51 months ago | reply)
Also...the nutria scenario seems unlikely. The refuge was reportedly rendered "nutria free" back in 2004 (link).
There are still reportedly muskrats on the refuge. And they do sorta look similar. But like you said, it seems unlikely that a creature like this (lunch?) would drive a family of foxes out of a den.
trykemom (51 months ago | reply)
I know how difficult it is. I watch bird nests and it is so difficult when either an egg or a chick disappears. Especially after I have watched from the time the chick was so small it couldn't hold its head up still enough to get a good focus on.
There are all kinds of reasons for babies disappearing from illness, bad parenting, accidents to being taken as food for other babies. That is why animals have more than one at a time. Humans do fit into this but more in an enviromental and habitat way.
I think photographers can be an important safeguard for animals when we follow them. The more we are there, the more we understand what is going on. The more we understand, the more we can share that with others. From that comes people wanting to preserve animals and places for them.
So keep on watching and sharing, the world needs you.
jimhpa (51 months ago | reply)
Thanks for the update, and for caring; however, I doubt that you alone made the difference. From what I've seen of your writings/posts, you are careful not to intude too much.
Sean Mantey (51 months ago | reply)
Wow. They really seem to be getting curious now!
dmcantrell (51 months ago | reply)
good color and focus in this one
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Doug Lloyd (51 months ago | reply)
Yotes will take kits also Jon. They have young at the same time.
D
Nikographer [Jon] (51 months ago | reply)
Thanks for the feedback.
If anything, the visitors could have acted as protectors since the eagle wouldn't fly as close, and stealthy hunters like coyotes would probably stay clear of the area. I've never seen a coyote *anywhere* BTW...
There was also a mention of the kits not being fed because of our presence. But, there was actually some food items near both dens (muskrat, bird parts, etc).
Does anyone have experience on what happens when kits get moved? I am trying to remain hopeful that the other 3 kits are actually somewhere else, a third spot, etc. Would a fox keep more than one active den spot during a day or two of moving kits around? I find it a bit hard to believe that on Thursday / Friday 3 kits were *lost* due to predators.
Only 2 kits were seen by someone else on Friday, so 3 could have been moved on Thursday (night?), and then the other two could have been moved on Friday (night?) to the spot we saw them...
And one other thing. Lately the eagles have been focused on stealing fish from the Osprey. I saw that play out a few times on my Wednesday trip and yesterday.
Boomer-23 (51 months ago | reply)
You're doing a great job as a champion of these guys, BNWR, and wildlife in general, Jon. Definitely keep it up!
As eye see it now (51 months ago | reply)
This is by far to me the best!! Love it.
CPG Photography (51 months ago | reply)
Great shot! Sad story! I'm hoping everything's okay. My fingers are crossed!
kgrin (51 months ago | reply)
Your commitment to sharing the beauty, mystery and of course concern for the natural world is a story of its own. I feel the concern you have about being "in the way" - I think of this whenever I hike and observe the movement of a creature on account of my presence- but what you have done to bring awareness for preservation of wild spaces through your photos and comments is valuable and "justifies" the affect your benign presence has in the natural world among wild things. Keep up the great work -- we're all rooting for the kits, wherever they are.
Angel Cher ♥ (51 months ago | reply)
that really is a sad story Jon! but maybe they are just out of your sight for now and will return. I think you are very much right that a person who cares so much about wildlife would not do anything to cause them harm and that they are good protection from predators,. Many times I seen the hawk wait and scope my bird feeders and many times I saved a lil' bird just sitting there... and though I wished to get a photo of the hawk diving into the boxwood next to me after a sparrow, he was just to close for a photo! But because I was there he didnt get his catch either! So these poor Fox kits always have a chance at a predator capturing them and that is just nature.... often noone knows the count or how many survive and when you do it is painful to think some hadnt made it. I AGREE with Kgrin, you have giving so much awareness and love to wildlife and made people have more respect for the wild in all your photos and your stories! dont blame yourself, even though that is often the first thought that would come to our minds! You will see them again Jon ...I bet!!
Angel Cher ♥ (51 months ago | reply)
VERY Beautiful and precious photo!!!
ferran pestaña (51 months ago | reply)
This is a very good shot, my dear friend
Marina C.Ribeiro- I'm Back!!!!! (51 months ago | reply)
A very good shot of the two remaining kits. I hope the other three will turn up soon....
..:: Rєиέє ::.. (51 months ago | reply)
lovely
lemperleconnie (51 months ago | reply)
Awesome closeup! Excellent shot! Too cute for words!
gmr2048 (51 months ago | reply)
A spark of hope...via:
http://pelotes.jea.com/AnimalFact/Mammal/redf ox.htm
"red foxes have more than one den, and they usually move the babies (kits) around to different dens while they are growing up
I don't know the source, but they cite a few other official sounding books.
vandyll.net (51 months ago | reply)
Gorgeous shot Jon. And great info you provided.
Andrew_N (51 months ago | reply)
This is a brilliant photo. I think it's the coloring of the background sets of the red in the kits. My favorite of the set.
Red Foxes do move their young to different dens, either for safety (weather, threats) or because of the need for more room. They can take multiple days to move the litter. The multiple dens are scouted out just after they mated. Both male and female provide food for the young. They mate with their previous partner from year to year.
I suspect they're all ok.
@stalker@ [deleted] (51 months ago | reply)
cute
VerenaFuchs (50 months ago | reply)
I fully understand your concerns!
It is also nice to see that there are people in the world who are concerned and who care! That doesn't make me feel so alone. :-)
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yeimaya (50 months ago | reply)
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yeimaya (50 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Animal Encounter Gateway, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
tinyfroglet (50 months ago | reply)
I'm going to die of the "cute" from this photo!
yeimaya (50 months ago | reply)
You are invited to add this story to Animal Encounters Reader If you chose to submit this story, it will be accessible to the public
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TomFlikrPhotos (50 months ago | reply)
This is a real dilemma - naturalists or photographers who want to study nature also affect it, in unknown and unknowable ways. Did Jane Goodall or Diane Fosse worry about this? Certainly. Did their studies increase our understanding and preservation efforts? Also yes.
In a cause and effect universe, you can't know what small action on your part might have a big effect. Maybe the fact that you were taking photos saved the two kits from an eagle, or maybe one stopped to look at you and so avoided getting a disease-carrying tick on itself (to carry the idea to extremes.)
You can only try to do your best not to interfere in any material way, and you are doing that. If we want to photograph wildlife we will impact the wildlife sometimes. The alternative is hiding in our houses with the blinds down.
Just be careful, which you are, and be thoughtful, which you are, and worry a little, which you are...and you have done what you can.
And because you were there, 294 people (so far) get to see the photos of the kits, and their appreciation of nature goes up a bit, and with your description, the average awareness of the need to be careful of nature went up a bit - who can say what effect that will have?
Thanks very much for posting this wonderful photo.
violetflm (50 months ago | reply)
what a story! glad you shared it with us. beautiful photos of these amazing animals!
karen.j (50 months ago | reply)
She would normally move them all but as said before she will have a couple of 'earths' with her babies in. Its a cruel world but the reason she has so many is in th hope that some will survive. Vixons normally have about 3 or may be 4 cubs so it could be they didnt all belong to her and the other mum has moved her own somewhere else. The sometimes live in family groups, it would be a sister of the mother or her female cub from last year who has given birth to the other lot.
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yeimaya (48 months ago | reply)
You are invited to add this image to Voices: honoring foxes
MarylandGal (47 months ago | reply)
Amazing!
smiles7 (38 months ago | reply)
Outstanding image and fun reading of your foxes.
transpixt (38 months ago | reply)
Thank you for taking the time to remind us about how our presence affects wild critters.
,,,,>^..^<,,,, Miss_Kitty (37 months ago | reply)
Love the photo . I don't count the baby ducks here any more -- it hurts when you knew there were 6 with their mom and now there are 4 , or fewer.
I do enjoy you wildlife photos so much.
JR♥Wolves (37 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Wild Canine Photography!, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Tustin Designs (27 months ago | reply)
Fantastic shot, Jon...these little kits are darling! Thanks for sharing and for the story/updates on them. Keep your head up...they will pop up when you least expect it and THAT feeling is like no other! ;)