Really Urban Foxes

[susieq100]

We live on a modern housing estate on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent; 10 minutes walk down the canal and we are in open countryside. We have a fox that either lives on the estate somewhere or it certainly forms part of her territory - we often see her at night or when it's getting dark. No-one round here has chickens so I can just admire her.

But yesterday we were driving into the city to go shopping - busy main road at 1.00pm and a dog fox runs right across the road in front of us - squealing of brakes, motorists looking astounded. In the daylight! I've seen them in the day on the allotment and out in the countryside but not in the middle of town.

[Reb Williams]

I think they're getting bolder and bolder. The best I've ever seen was one bizarre day 2 summers ago when I was on the number 36 bus going past Hyde Park Corner in London. As you may know, the Corner is effectively a huge roundabout surrounded by traffic. It was eight thirty in the morning, bang in the middle of the rush hour, and a fox (not sure if girl or boy) was standing calmly on a small rise in the middle of the roundabout area looking at the bus as it passed by. No idea how the fox got there but he didn't seem too worried by the situation. I personally was gasping and rubbing my eyes - I even broke the First Rule of Travelling In London and spoke to the person next to me to check she could see the fox too and I wasn't hallucinating. (She could).

There are tales of pigeons actually boarding tube carriages on the Circle Line, going a couple of stops, and getting off again; so maybe in time we'll be sharing public transport with all kinds of wildlife.

Reb
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The perfect present for allotmenteers who can laugh at themselves - Grow Your Own Cows

[FoxHillGardener]

Fox using escalator at Walthamstow Central BBC - Commuting fox pictured on the Tube

[greasyfire]

There always there exspecially in citys suburbs and parks but in central cirty i guess they would lurk in alleys most of the day and go forage in dutbins in scraps at night and u seeing one is just catching them off guard

[Jeanied]

Ours come out on dustbin night - well black bag night to be more accurate - they rip the sides out of the bags and eat the food scraps - leaving rather a lot of rubbish on the footpath. Sometimes I hear them and get up to watch them from the bedroom window - pretty creatures - and I had one in my tiny back garden the other morning.

[janeyo]

We had one at uni who used to hunt round the bins of or halls of residence. We often used to see her / him when rolling home form the student Union in the wee hours.

Or maybe it was a cat and we had had too much of the cheap booze to know the difference?! lol

[Jeanied]

If you think it might be a fox, it usually is, Janeyo - I find they turn up like ghosts!

[Pumpy]

There are tales of pigeons actually boarding tube carriages on the Circle Line, going a couple of stops, and getting off again

Seen it a few times, it really does happen.

P

[Llamas]

We see them round here though unfortuatly living on a farm which depends on raising phesants, foxes aren't quite apprecaited. I like them and they seem content for the moment to ignore my chooks and ducks, though I'm careful to shut them away so hopefully theres never a reason for the vixen nearby to come to harm.

[OllieMartin]

There are tales of pigeons actually boarding tube carriages on the Circle Line, going a couple of stops, and getting off again; so maybe in time we'll be sharing public transport with all kinds of wildlife.

Did it have an Oyster card?

[Eco-Chic]

Did it have an Oyster card?

Don't be silly.

Where on earth would they keep it

[reggietheveggie]

Numerous years ago I used to live in Rotherham and I drove an artic' HGV. I used to carry coil steel out of Brinsworth Strip Mills, about 3/4 of a mile from jct 34 of the M1 motorway. There were a pair of foxes that "lived" behind the mill and I used to see them regularly in the early morning, 3-4am, when I was loading up.

I'm now unfortunate enough to live in Dull, sorry, HUll , and I see them quite often in the park that our house backs onto.

Martyn.

[Glutton4...]

I was talking to someone this week who's friend has shot two recently, that were worrying his Sheep - they were both castrated males.

Fortunately, I'm sensible enough not to type what I really want to type here...

[Pumpy]

As a city dweller who once lived in the countryside many years ago, who castrated the foxes? I am assuming its done to control the population but never heard of it being done before.

P

[Eco-Chic]

I've watched a vixen playing with her young at the end of my friend's mahoosive garden. Lovely sight to behold but not so nice when the patio had to be sluiced down the next day because they had runny tummys.

Later that year RSPCA had to be called to deal with a pack(?) who had set up under one of the barns. They gassed one in their van immediately as it was far gone with mange. The rest were taken away, presumably for treatment and later release

They are beautiful but I wouldn't want any of my neighbours to encourage them because of the risk of spreading disease to our dogs and cats, killing our cats and killing our chooks.

Shall have to be very diplomatic as my Christmas host feeds the foxes at the end of her garden But then, she doesn't have any pets to worry over.