Tuesday 21 April 2009

The Canoe, the Egg and The Fox




'Messing about on the river....er canal"

Don't quite know what these people were actually doing in the middle of the canal, but they eventually got everything sorted and paddled on their way to where ever they were going, passing me as they did so.
My daughter and two grandsons spent a pleasant time walking along the embankment with me, last summer on a lovely sunny day. Made a good walk.


For those people who read my last post Mystery of the Hidden eggs, I am pleased to announce that the mystery has been solved! My next door neighbour told me that a fox has been running up his path and jumping over into my back garden.
Another neighbour tells me that she had an egg left on her front porch once and she thinks that foxes grab crates of eggs that the milkman leaves on door steps in the morning. She thinks that the foxes eat what they want and then take eggs and bury them for the future and one chose my garden!
So customers might wonder what is happening to their egg order that never seems to arrive and I dare say the milkman will be scratching his head at the mystery and wonders why his customers never seem to get their eggs.

Working Mum had the same thing happen to her last year and her husband thought it was a fox! I was quite relieved to know that someone else had the same thing happen to them. Made me feel less isolated with the problem!
I also had the perfect answer from Hilary who sent me a very useful link about the way foxes steal eggs! Fascinating look it up here.
One less thing to worry about! I can cope with a fox!

32 comments:

Gill - That British Woman said...

interesting info on the fox, and a great shot for Watery Wednesday.

Gill in Canada

Kitty said...

Gosh, I didn't know foxes were brave enough to do things like steal eggs from doorsteps. Clever creatures, eh? As someone who has never been troubled by one, I guess it's easy for me to admire their cunning. x

Anonymous said...

glad its solved Maggie,told u it was a fox. Our big fox eats the cat an dog food grrrrrrrrr

San said...

We don't have foxes around here. We have coyotes. But the milkman doesn't leave eggs on porches either. I wonder if coyotes would take eggs.

I like the ending of your post, Maggie. "I can cope with a fox!"

Anonymous said...

Very nice capture. It makes me smile.

Irene said...

We don't even have a milkman anymore, let alone one who would leave eggs at the door for a fox to steal. I would like a milkman to come to my door, because I'm always running out of milk and having to go to the store to buy more.

At least the mystery has been solved and you know you are not going batty. Those foxes are smart and have your whole system figured out. They have adapted themselves to life in suburbia.

It's pretty cool that they jump your fence and enter you yard. It does mean that they plan to come back to retrieve the eggs, so you better leave them where they are, lest they start to dig up your whole garden looking for them.

XOX
Irene

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Well, whaddaya know...absolutely fascinating about the fox. Great photo! We used live near a lock, and your photo reminds me of it!

Nessa said...

We went canoe on a canal once when we were younger. My father and brother feel in.

See, foxes earn their reputation.

Eddie Bluelights said...

Fancy that - a fox! That leaves me with egg on my face saying it was a 'do you know I can't remember what I said it was'. I'll have to look it up on your last post.

Eddie Bluelights said...

Yes, I said it was a lion! or a squirrel

judi/Gmj said...

Fun shot of confusion on water. :D

Rinkly Rimes said...

It's a pity foxes are so sweet to look at when they're such devils! (Like some humans!)

Rosaria Williams said...

Foxes? Now you have to protect more than eggs.

Wendy said...

Interesting link on the foxes stealing eggs. I never would have thought of that. I hope in future the milkman doesn't leave the eggs out on the porch!
Glad your mystery is solved.

nanatrish said...

I am so glad that you got your mystery solved. Very interesting. Hooray for Hilary.

Hilary said...

They truly are clever creatures, and I agree that you can surely cope with a fox. If we're all really lucky, you might even get a photo of him one day. ;)

I'm glad you got it all sorted out as to the why and wherefore. And thanks kindly for the linkage. :)

2sweetnsaxy said...

Interesting story about the fox and the eggs. And all I thought when I saw the people in the boat was... isn't there a rule about not standing up in a boat? :-D

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Great "Watery" shot Maggie - it does make you wonder what, how, why etc doesn't it!

Missed your egg post so will go and read it now. Interesting about the foxes though. A x

Anonymous said...
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Working Mum said...

So my husband was right! That's a great photo of the fox stealing the egg; I wondered how they could do it without breaking the egg. Mystery solved. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

The stability of canoes always amazes me; you'd think that one would tip any moment.

Good shot & fun story about the fox; they can be as resourceful as raccoons, if not quite as dextrous.

Tulip said...

beautiful photos.

Unknown said...

So it WAS a fox!!!! That is the coolest thing. Yea, a little scary, and weird, but it fascinates me how wild animals learn to adapt to humans living around them, and then USE them for food!!!! I love this story.

Anonymous said...

We don't have foxes, or eggs and milk to the porch here. It sounds charming to me!

Anonymous said...

PS I enjoyed the photo. I clicked on it and it is a very serene scene. LOVELY.

aims said...

I have noticed that foxes are become more brave all the time. I got an email with 2 pics in it of foxes on my friends back porch. Right in the city of London. I was astounded!

Over here we are seeing more of them in the country. Not in our town yet that I have noticed anyway.

Now tell me Maggie - how could I have missed 5 of your posts? Blogger just isn't updating you for some reason. Grrrrrrrrrrr!

Suburbia said...

I'm glad you've found the culprit, but I am still secretly wishing that it was your Harry, pulling a fast one!!!!

Suburbia said...

PS. Perhaps you could persuade it to catch rats instead of filching eggs?!!!

Akelamalu said...

Ah the egg mystery - solved! :)

david mcmahon said...

Were they canal wrestling? Maybe it's a new Olympic sport!

What About The Girl? said...

Hello Maggie May! Oh I love the sound of your name...
A fox? Wow...that would both fascinate and scare me...
Thank you very much for dropping by my blog and for your sweet comments.
Nice meeting you Maggie May! :-)

Reasons said...

Ooh those tricky foxes! I saw a programme once where they watched to see where everyone's newspaper deliveries were disapearing to, turned out it was a fox pinching them for nesting!