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My walk was more than usually rewarding today. Three fox cubs were playing on the track to the woods. I had the usual problem of not being able to get close enough for a picture because they were so wary. This image was taken at full zoom, heavily cropped and into the sun. So has lost much of its sharpness. This cub stared at me for ages. While the other cubs kept disappearing into the crop and wrestling in the grass. They were moving too quickly to allow a shot of all three. I have seen an adult fox in the same place on the path. These foxes will have a very long walk to find any sheep to worry. A task usually reserved strictly for the farmer's own badly trained dogs where sheep are commonplace! Sheep are so completely unconcerned by foxes that they hardly glance up as the fox crosses their field in broad daylight. Their very young lambs are at far greater risk from crows and the farmer's routine idiocy. Warm and sunny for my afternoon ride. Only 10 miles. It was a bank holiday but the supermarkets were stuffed with customers.
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Posh wedding carriage at Helnæs Kirke.
The number of fox cubs had grown to 7 today! The mother was resting in the long grass in the middle of the track. While the young wrestled, pounced and popped in and out of the dense crop. I knelt down to watch them for a while but couldn't get close enough for decent pictures. I am not sure if it wasn't two families. Four cubs disappeared into the left hand side and did not re-emerge. While the others continued playing on the right. Then the mother finally rose and went off left. Leaving a couple of the more independent cubs to explore on their own. I tried sneaking up on them by hugging the edge of the crops but they both disappeared before I was close enough for a snap. No doubt the record warmth has provided perfect conditions for bringing up lots of cubs. The birds also seem to be around in huge numbers compared with the norm.
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Then five kids came out of a side turning in the village, on their bikes, without any of them giving so much as a glance towards the oncoming traffic on their side. (Me!) I went wide to overtake the gaggle only for some other drooling moron to speed through the village on the wrong side of the road between double parked cars which were completely blocking both cycle lanes. [Again!!]
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Jun 11th 62F, 17C, overcast, suddenly very dark, tipping down with thunder and lightning! The forecast is rather unsure but it should clear up this afternoon. Germany has had awful weather! Let's hope we don't get the same! A rest day.
Click on any image for an enlargement.
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