Courting fox

The foxes in Thixendale have begun courting. I've been out listening for their calls and so far I've tracked five in the vicinity.

Fox on the Lookout, limited edition print 

Then last night I spotted a lone vixen and followed her because this year I have an ambitious plan: I want to build an artificial fox earth and try to encourage the vixen to bring up her cubs there.

The idea is to then build a sunken hide into the mound from where I can watch the cubs as they emerge in the spring. It will mean tracking her comings and goings very closely.

In the meantime I've begun working on the composition of a new painting of a fox pair. I like to cut up my photographic studies and play about with them on a plain background until I'm happy.