Foxes

Perhaps this is due to being a dog owner - I am able to recognise the facial expressions and general body language of foxes as these are very similar to those of domestic dogs.

This has certainly helped me to appreciate how "coolly" foxes take encounters with us humans.

Encounters out on district nature reserves are not that common as foxes, probably with good reason, avoid human contact and are mainly nocturnal creatures hunting and foraging after dark.

However, on occasion you can bump into them during the day or, if you know where to look, they can quite regularly be seen around their lair entrances at dusk and dawn.

When you do encounter a fox it usually just briefly acknowledges your presence then, as nonchalantly as if you weren't there, it just seems to go about its business.

However, I was recently told a tale that made me laugh as the normally "oh so cool" fox was stopped dead in its tracks due to an unusual encounter.

The residents who live around Blakemarsh local nature reserve in Kidderminster seem to have got to know their foxes quite well with many animals using both the refuge of the nature reserve and some of the neighbouring people's gardens as their territory.

Foxes who live in situations like this can get blamed for all sorts of misbehaviour, such as scavenging through bins, but foxes are less likely to be involved in this than domestic cats and dogs.

Saying this, foxes are great opportunists and if the situation exists to grab a quick meal they will exploit it.

Foxes may even do homeowners some good as they prey on rodents, which may otherwise go on to cause problems.

On one occasion a fox had been a regular visitor to a garden, the homeowners had regularly watched the fox going about his routine, leaving the garden and visiting the reserve to forage for food.

One day the fox went over the fence and made its way into the marsh as usual, only to be faced with a tonne of black and white animal sitting in its path chewing the cud.

The fox stopped and stared - its routine all gone to pot - what on earth had invaded its territory?

It was, of course, one of the belted Galloway cattle which were grazing on the wetland.

The fox must have thought about defending its territory against this unknown monster but worse still it soon discovered there were six of the beasts which were now becoming curious as to what he was.

So, after a few moments of just staring in disbelief, the fox decided to find itself a new nightly routine on an area of the reserve where the cattle had chosen not to spend the night!