Terrible noise!

[Buckman]

Last night our dogs went totally berserk baking their heads off and would not listen to either of us. On going outside we both heard this terrible high pitched scream. It was not continuous, but happening ever now and then. I went out the back gate which leads into an open area and no houses, but could not see anything. In the meantime all the dogs in the neighbourhood were also barking their heads off. Eventually dawned on us that it was probably a fox as they normally scream in mating season which is supposed to be December time. The noise stopped after about 30 minutes so maybe he got lucky.

Coincidentally, this morning OH was in the garden hanging up the washing when she spotted a little yellow bird near the bird feeder. On closer inspection, as she was able to go right up to it, OH identified it as a canary. The bird let her get within about 6 inches before it flew off. It will probably return to abundance of food and water.

 

[otherclive]

Our son has foxes coming in to his garden most nights as he feeds them. Their calling is quite disturbing if you are not aware of what the noise is.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Well educate your son please, foxes are nasty horrible vermin!!

 

[RogerL]

Well educate your son please, foxes are nasty horrible vermin!!

They're a natural predator - sadly we've hunted all the bigger predators to extinction in the UK.

 

[Buckman]

They're a natural predator - sadly we've hunted all the bigger predators to extinction in the UK.

Interesting, but you you mind naming a few of these bigger predators? I have been told that wolves were once a predator in the UK?

 

[DaveA1]

Lived out in the sticks a few years back, there was a knock on the door it was a policeman, asking if I'd heard any screaming. he'd no sooner had he said it, when a fox let out a bark/scream.
" What was that,? a fox" I said "a fox" he said "yes" and off he went.

 

[toad a caravan]

Was it not Slipshod the indie band ?😄

 

[RogerL]

Interesting, but you you mind naming a few of these bigger predators? I have been told that wolves were once a predator in the UK?

Lynx, Wolves, Bears

In Scotland the deer are overwhelming what's left of the forests, eating all the new saplings - there aren't enough rich "stalkers" to keep the population down so there's talk of re-introducing wolves.

 

[Buckman]

Lynx, Wolves, Bears

In Scotland the deer are overwhelming what's left of the forests, eating all the new saplings - there aren't enough rich "stalkers" to keep the population down so there's talk of re-introducing wolves.

Apparently where wolves have been re-introduced in areas of the USA, the balance of nature has been restored?

 

[otherclive]

Well educate your son please, foxes are nasty horrible vermin!!

You are entitled to a view, which I, nor my so share. Since moving into the house with associated woodland he’s worked hard over five years to develop the flora and fauna. It’s now more a sizeable wildlife area with owls, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and various other visitors. Last autumn he dug a wildlife pond which already looks quite mature and has had frogs, toads and newts visit. Squirrels visit but in the wider adjoining woodland he’s been told a Pine Marten has been seen. If that’s true they naturally predate the grey squirrel. What’s your contribution to enhancing the diversity of our wild things?

 

[otherclive]

Lynx, Wolves, Bears

In Scotland the deer are overwhelming what's left of the forests, eating all the new saplings - there aren't enough rich "stalkers" to keep the population down so there's talk of re-introducing wolves.

In Abernathy the RSPB started a deer management programme, a euphemism for culling to aid development of the old pine forest, and aid capercaillie numbers which were falling very low.

 

[JTQ]

We allow them to have a den down at the bottom of our "field", have been rewarded on odd occasions with the vixen bring the cubs up to the house patio, lovely to see IMO. Probably foxes were here long before our late 1960s house was.
I am another person that dug a pond about 40 years ago, now a great wild life asset.

 

[Devonisheaven]

They're a natural predator ……

So they certainly don’t need feeding!

 

[Kevin M]

Well educate your son please, foxes are nasty horrible vermin!!

I have always lived in the sticks, nothing nasty or horrible about foxes! The human race are probably the worst of the lot tbh.
Like all wild animals, they need controlling humanely but they are wonderful creatures.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Ask anyone who keeps chickens, or ducks, their opinions of foxes! Or farmers with lambs
I am all for biodiversity and the environment, but humans feeding foxes is contrary to the natural process of nature, it encourages them to enter into the urban environment, which is not their natural habitat, it being where they clearly dont belong. Left to their own devices, in the rural environment, nature controls their numbers.

Once humans start feeding them the established, and natural, balance is upset, and they proliferate beyond the numbers that should be present because they dont have to seek out food, they get it provided by humans. A bit like rats really, easy food source results in a ballooning of numbers.

 

[Devonisheaven]

It may have been a Vixen alarm call.

Sorry, but I am in the “feeding foxes is totally ridiculous” camp. Lived in the countryside all my life, worked in the countryside, done pest and vermin control for around 50 years. Countryman through and through.

 

[Devonisheaven]

Ask anyone who keeps chickens, or ducks, their opinions of foxes! Or farmers with lambs
I am all for biodiversity and the environment, but humans feeding foxes is contrary to the natural process of nature, it encourages them to enter into tue urban environment, which is not their natural habitat, it being where they clearly dont belong. Left to their own devices, in tye rural environment, nature controls their numbers.

Once humans start feeding them the establiahed, and natural, balance is upset and they proliferate beyond the numbers that should be present because they dont have to seek out food, they get it provided by humans. A bit like rats really, easy food source results in ac ballooning of numbers

I don’t necessarily think they are nasty vermin, they need controlling , but as said above, feeding them is simply ridiculous.

 

[borderbilly]

I

Last night our dogs went totally berserk baking their heads off and would not listen to either of us. On going outside we both heard this terrible high pitched scream. It was not continuous, but happening ever now and then. I went out the back gate which leads into an open area and no houses, but could not see anything. In the meantime all the dogs in the neighbourhood were also barking their heads off. Eventually dawned on us that it was probably a fox as they normally scream in mating season which is supposed to be December time. The noise stopped after about 30 minutes so maybe he got lucky.

Coincidentally, this morning OH was in the garden hanging up the washing when she spotted a little yellow bird near the bird feeder. On closer inspection, as she was able to go right up to it, OH identified it as a canary. The bird let her get within about 6 inches before it flew off. It will probably return to abundance of food and water.

Clever dogs you have, what do they bake?

 

[Dustydog]

I don’t necessarily think they are nasty vermin, they need controlling , but as said above, feeding them is simply ridiculous.

There’s an argument that says man is the one who causes vermin by messing with nature.

Here we have a Badger sett that’s been under the disused railway track for 45 years. The two woods are home to all sorts , foxes, muntjacs, rabbits etc. Further up are various birds including a Swannery.
Of course some eat each other but that is natures way.. 😎

 

[Devonisheaven]

There’s an argument that says man is the one who causes vermin by messing with nature.

Here we have a Badger sett that’s been under the disused railway track for 45 years. The two woods are home to all sorts , foxes, muntjacs, rabbits etc. Further up are various birds including a Swannery.
Of course some eat each other but that is natures way.. 😎

Muntjac are classed as a non native pest, hence no closed season.

 

[Hutch]

Muntjac are classed as a non native pest, hence no closed season.

They are very tasty in a curry.

 

[Devonisheaven]

They are very tasty in a curry.

They are very tasty full stop! 👍

 

[Dustydog]

Muntjac are classed as a non native pest, hence no closed season.

Poor man’s venison😋

 

[Devonisheaven]

Poor man’s venison😋

Wouldn’t know what Venison costs! 😉

 

[Hutch]

Wouldn’t know what Venison costs! 😉

I get mine from a friend who cull deer for a local farmer.