Hannah4181 260 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 I've just returned from 10 days on The Isle Of Wight, i was down there working and due to a few days of really bad weather i was basically house bound . . . . on the edge of a cliff! On the first night i went outside for a smoke about 9pm and saw a fox running along the bottom of the bay, i squeaked just to catch its attention really . . . . . he stopped and looked at me, then started to make his way over, ears up, very confident, i just sat there and did nothing, and watched in absolute shock as he continued to come closer and closer, over the stock netting at the top of the cliff, and very steadily across the front lawn, past my car, up the path and literally to my feet . . . where he very calmly sat down and stared at me!!! :icon_eek: I was completely dumbstruck, in Suffolk where i live, foxs are wild, they see you and flee instantly. I have seen urban foxs get pretty close, but the place i was staying was very remote, i genuinely couldn't believe this guy was so tame! He was in excellent condition, all the attributes of a healthy country fox, with the mentality of an urban one. And so began my 10 day love affair with Albert . . . . . . every evening i'd go to the door and call and he'd appear, trot up to me and feed happily from my hand. It was the weirdest behaviour from a fox i've ever ever seen, because he wasn't tame, if i tried to touch him he scarpered, or if someone else came outside he'd retreat under my car, yet as soon as i called him he'd trot back up. I presume he has been fed by tourists in the holiday cottages for a good while and realises he's onto a good thing. I had my dog with me, who would bark at him from inside, he'd turn and run . . . .. by the end of the 10 days realising she was no danger, he'd happily feed with her watching a few feet away. it was an amazing experience. Albert also brought his wife and kids over a few nights, the vixen was pretty scatty and the cub very timid, but again with food and patience by the end of the holiday they would all come out when called for food. I was desperate to get them out in the daytime to photograph them, but no amount of calling, bribing, fresh meat or starving the night before would bring them out before dark. It took me 3 days to get them used to the flash, but again with enough food and encouragement they soon realised it did them no harm. The pictures are all shot with flash and therefore a bit of corrective work was needed on the eyes, but if nothing more it was a pleasure to chill with Albert for a few days. Albert . . . . .. And the cub . . . Arthur. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
riohog 5,696 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 exellent photos hannah ..he looks well fed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SHARPSHOOTER! 40 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 lovely shots....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squirrel_Basher 17,100 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Wouldnt mind you coming lamping as you seem to be a fox magnet.Yet again ,first class pics .Well done Hannah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hannah4181 260 Posted October 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 exellent photos hannah ..he looks well fed Yeah i shouldn't think this boy has had to do much hunting over the summer months, he was in fine shape, his persona reminded me very much of a fat labrador! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hannah4181 260 Posted October 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Wouldnt mind you coming lamping as you seem to be a fox magnet.Yet again ,first class pics .Well done Hannah I'm not sure if thats a complement or not! It was just luck, if i hadn't squeaked i would never have known he was so dam tame. . . . . and then patience, time and a mortgage worth of fresh chicken. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MuttleMcTuttle 21 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 he's a real cutie and you got some lovely shots of him I've known some fairly tame rural foxes, but usually curious cubs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
undisputed 1,664 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 What a great experience that must have been....Some stunning pics as well well done Hannah! It doesn't matter how many times I see a fox or call one in I always get a buzz from it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hw100sniper 2 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Must admit youve some cracking pics and well done in squeaking him in so close Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hannah4181 260 Posted October 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Must admit youve some cracking pics and well done in squeaking him in so close Thanks, but i really can't take any credit for being an expert fox squeaker . . . . . i literally squeaked once on the first night to catch his attention and he stopped, turned and walked over as obedient as a dog . . i which i could have seen my face :laugh: From that first night he came round every night about 7 and sat on the doorstep till i fed him, the other thing that shocked me was how gently he took the food as well, there was no snatching at all . . . . he only once got a bit fiery with me, i was laying on the floor using a fish eye lens and hadn't realised there was some mince under my arm, he was about a foot infront of me and went to eat the mince at the same time as i moved my arm, i think it made him jump more than anything and he snapped and spun round . . . . didn't make contact though, and i shouted at him, he backed off instantly. Used to fight with the cub over food if it got to close. With the fish eye . . .. literally an arms length away Keeping the kids in check! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bush Rummager 4,258 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Bloody great quality!.. any chace of a bit of exif data... educationally.. for us beginners.. be interesting to see.. Regards the flash.. third one down in your reply to hw100 sniper... looks mint!, really works... but im scratching my head.. ... i'm all ears.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J Darcy 5,871 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Top class pics. Probably the best i have seen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sky09 8 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 stunning pics Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hannah4181 260 Posted October 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Bloody great quality!.. any chace of a bit of exif data... educationally.. for us beginners.. be interesting to see.. Regards the flash.. third one down in your reply to hw100 sniper... looks mint!, really works... but im scratching my head.. ... i'm all ears.. There is really nothing especially technical going on here at all . .. the D700 has a built in little flash, that was all i was using, the big dog fox in the fish eye shots, was the tamest and boldest by far. Yet he hated the flash when i first fired he he hid under my car. Took 3 days to "train" him to tolerate it, literally firing it then calling him back and feeding him mince . . . once he'd got used to it he was ok and would tolerate it. The fish eye ones were a bit harder as the lens is only 10mm odd, so it was literally on his nose . . . but again patience and food we got there. I used a pretty high aperture to make the back ground as dark as poss and get the arc of light created by the fish eye. I'll dig out some more tomorrow, i took SO many. I'm still GUTTED i couldn't get them in the day, but i suppose the night time feeling adds to the atmosphere. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martin 332 Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 You are a class act Hannah...........Martin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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