My friend told me there was a fox that had five kits and was bringing them out of the den. He said it was an urban decay area and I might be interested. I was. I went there on the first day and did not see the kits. The background area was full of debris and you must stay behind a fence that encircles the mostly removed structure. The mother made her den under the boards that remain.
I decided to go back a second time to see if I could get a glimpse of the kits. It was a sunny day and I felt my chances were good. At least better than the cold overcast day before. Bingo! She brought all the kits out to play in the sun. At first just two followed her out of the den then another and then again another…Here are a few of my images, I plan to go again today, it was so much fun to watch them. I shot every image with my Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera and my Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens. I tried to be mindful of the sun direction and the backgrounds, using a shallower depth of field for some.
I’m sure when the den area was selected by the fox there were not too many people around as the area is an eye sore and the cold weather would have kept the crowds away. Now with warmer temperatures there are people everywhere. The fence is helpful in keeping the curious at a distance and allows the fox some privacy…well, just some. The folks passing by are the real issue for the fox as they are curious, loud, and ignorant of what is right in front of them. The photographers have been wonderful, most have been taking time to educate the public to make them aware, asking them to keep their voices down, not to feed the fox and to be respectful of the site and not go into the enclosed area.
Unfortunately, there have been some folks that go into the fenced area, I have not seen this but there is a photo circulating of someone sitting right next to the den. I have also seen evidence of feeding trays being left out for the fox. Probably some neighbor that thinks they are helping. Feeding wild animals is not helpful, it only leads to trouble for them. So, if you visit a fox den, please be respectful of the animals. Know how hard it must be for them to survive and give them their space. I fear it will not be long before officials get involved.
