Hummingbird, playful kit, and overflowing possum!

I was outside and saw a hummingbird - so I set up the feeder and camera. The first visitor was NOT a hummingbird (not sure what bird it is - maybe Janie can tell me), but one did visit a little later. The fox kit was happily playing with its food - the vole that Bill provided!

The possum is getting so full that you can see some parts of the babies pushing out of the pouch!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/Op0ms-58SfQ

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Mike Mason

Daylight raccoons, fox possum interaction, and a coyote

We didn't see the fox kits last night, but we had two raccoons in daylight. (Probably means that they are nursing - and want as much food as possible.) The fox wasn't sure about sharing with the possum. And, finally, a morning visit from a coyote!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/BKUZw8C5kDo

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Mike Mason

Very pregnant possum, fox scares raccoon, possum ignores fox!

A very pregnant possum walked by the shed. The fox scares off the raccoon, but has met its match with the possum. Still lots of fox family activity overnight.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/JCGgQ92KSc0

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Mike Mason

Shed, trays, and pregnant possum

All the animals make it to the shed and the food trays. Last night there was a pregnant possum - you can see the bulge in her pouch!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/yGsgG8D9RIQ

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Mike Mason

Bird Box - 5 Eggs

There was the "normal" traffic of raccoons, possums and foxes overnight.

The bird box nest makes it very difficult to see what has been happening.

The nest is build with material blocking the camera, BUT I got a clear shot of 5 eggs!

(No video today.)

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Mike Mason

Two foxes, three possums, kits and possum, then four deer!

The title says it all. Two adult foxes, three possums, two kits coming face to face with a possum. Four deer, and finally a fox jumping off the shed roof in daylight - not sure how it got up there!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/PAh3vtliv0w

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Mike Mason

Foxes reducing the squirrel population

Some of our neighbors would like the squirrel population reduced - well the foxes have made a start! I didn't notice the raccoon when I closed the door - but it heard it!! The raccoon and fox kit didn't seem bothered by each other during the night. We woke up this morning to the fox family playing.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/POsxTXQ6M7I

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Mike Mason

Four Fox kits and a raccoon crowd.

The fox kits are exploring a wider area - three are close to the food and one is on the far right by the shed. The raccoons seem to have decided that they need to outnumber the possums!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/8zM-ZLtqZro

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Mike Mason

Not sharing and well fed kits.

The fox took the lamb bone. The raccoon and possum shred for a while, until the raccoon claimed the food bowl by sitting in it. The fox-kits are very fed. The mother fox left a kill for the kit - that just left it. She came later and took it off to the other den.

I thought that there was a rear access to the area under the shed - so I out a trail camera there last night and capture a shot of a kit with a rabbit. So there is a front and back access.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/bayMKwrZKhM

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Mike Mason

'Food Central"

We are definitely "food central" . Deer, foxes and raccoons out in daylight. The possums and the fox are able to share - not the reaction we see when a raccoon and fox attempt to share! The fox kits still regard our yard as part of their territory.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/G1Lo7mgyOBs

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Mike Mason

A busy night.

It was a busy night. The foxes have moved under the next door's shed - but there is still a lot of activity in our yard. The little one got the ham bone I put out - but didn't seem too sure of what to do with it. We had a fox-raccoon stand-off - but they eventually settled down. The little fox-kit played with its food - but I guess it is learning to hunt. Finally, a very sedate deer wandered through.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/xIADMrrAg34

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Mike Mason

Where the foxes have moved to!

The family of foxes have moved next door - under John Wonderly's shed!

They were playing out there this afternoon.

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Mike Mason

A foxy night!

We had wondered what had happened to the foxes. Well, the "brave" fox-kit was out early in the evening checking the food bowls, then they played through the night by the shed - diving under at one point. A long tailed fox jumped off the roof of the shed to check the entrance. Later, three of the kits were out. Finally, the "brave" fox-kit checked the bowls this morning before heading off to sleep the day away.

A nice "posed" shot of the fox-kit.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/rlhX5FuJA-s

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Mike Mason

Lots of activity!!!

There was lots of activity last night. First, we had a raccoon out 5 minutes after putting the food down, and it stayed for an hour. This means it's nursing cubs - so hopefully we will see them soon. The foxes were busy. Scared off two raccoons. Then TWO long tailed foxes were by the shed. One kit - the brave one - was out by the shed. It got food from the mother - but played with it - later it came in with its own kill - a large rabbit. No sign of the other three. Finally, the deer stopped by but were spooked by something.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/nOpv4S6mhEg

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Mike Mason

Raccoon, deer and mother fox in charge!

The raccoon and the deer share. Not sure, but I think the fox kits have moved to a new den - I suspect the one under the shed is pretty smelly by now! There was one kit still visiting during the night, and mother fox was making sure nothing got close!!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/WEZmJ5jrl8o

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Mike Mason

Wild turkey and exploring fox kits.

Just looking out the window during the day - and a wild turkey was walking through the yard! The fox kits are exploring wider and found the food trays.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/6HjCTvw4ZC0

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Mike Mason

Each to their own space!

The raccoons & possums, and the foxes each seem to have their own areas. The raccoons and possums stay by the seed trays, and the foxes stay by the shed. Used to be that the raccoons and possums would live under the shed, but they have been evicted!! The short-tailed fox still is try to get to the kits - not sure why - but I hope it doesn't succeed.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/WHHLeoXzvBw

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Mike Mason

Foxes, raccoons and rabbits

The foxes were out most of the night. The rabbit made an appearance, which is dangerous as the mother fox seems very good at hunting rabbits. The raccoon was about the same size as the fox, so they avoided each other.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/kQMQDOE8GYY

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Mike Mason

Another night with the foxes.

The fox and kits were not out all day - but they had been out most of the night before, and they were out from 8:00pm to 6:00am last night. We were watching when a raccoon was walking around to get to the seed trays and it changed direction when it saw the fox. You can see the fox in the background by the shed. This mother fox is a very good hunter and provider. It looks as though she killed a domestic cat for the kits. One of the kits dragged it under the shed - so it is going to smell there as the weather gets hotter!!!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/oPqS6O7y_VM

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Mike Mason

Fox fun in the afternoon!

We've seen the foxes out a lot in the day. They were having fun in the afternoon!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/gmWNWSUvI5Y

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Mike Mason

Fox interactions

Not sure what the relationship is between the long-tailed fox and the short-tailed fox, but the long-tailed (mother) doesn't want to interact with the short-tailed. The short-tailed was trying to dig under the shed at one point. The four kits were glad when the mother returned in the night, and one has a future as a high-jumper!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/Pz3fhYqEa08

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Mike Mason

Four Kits, not three!!

The fox and kits were out last night - and there are FOUR kits not three - one is less confident to come out - but they were all playing last night. The mother is keeping them well fed. Early on she chased a raccoon, but it went under the shed - then she tree'd it when it came out!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/jT7zRcsOe4M

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Mike Mason

UPDATE: Three kits - not two!!

UPDATE: The fox and THREE kits appeared about about 11:00am - only saw two this morning!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/-8PBuxBW2Oc

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Mike Mason

Fox and two kits in the morning!

This is a longer video than usual ( 1min 30secs). We were entertained this morning for about 1 hour 15 mins by a fox and her kits! (I saw it both on camera and live.) At first, I thought there was only one kit, until the second one appeared. A great way to start the day. I also think we might have new owners for the spot under the shed!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/wRFJue6feYk

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Mike Mason

Too much disturbance!

The raccoon was just trying to sleep in - when there was so much disturbance from the rabbits and squirrels!!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/z1Z3RIACSOE

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Mike Mason

Equal Numbers!

Equal Numbers! Three raccoons and three possums - all sharing!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/-QMd262AsXo

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Mike Mason

Fox and Deer

The fox stopped by briefly, but the deer stayed for a while.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/nroeOXf0xGM

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Mike Mason

Possums take-over - but willing to share!

The possums are taking over. One out early and three more later, but they were willing to share!!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/6SpGdmWkDz0

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Mike Mason