London·Video

London woman documents fox family that called her backyard home

A mother fox gave birth to six or seven babies under Robin Rundle Drake's backyard shed in London, Ont., last month. The furry family has stayed in Drake's yard for about two weeks.

The mother fox gave birth to at least six kits in a den under Robin Rundle Drake's backyard shed

Fox family calls London, Ont., backyard home

4 years ago
Duration 0:31
Robin Rundle Drake has been documenting a family of foxes after they moved into her backyard this spring. Video provided by Robin Rundle Drake.

It was late last month when Robin Rundle Drake of London, Ont., realized a mother fox had moved in under her backyard shed.

"She scoped probably two or three dens and decided to give birth in my backyard, which was such an honour," Rundle Drake said.

She figures there were at least six kits, maybe seven.

"The mom would usually bring some food for them. I got to see some lovely carcasses arrive in my yard."

Rundle Drake believes the family of foxes moved out of her yard in the Coves area of the city last Friday, but she said watching and documenting them during the two weeks they took up residence was a pleasure.

"They just develop so quickly from stumbling around in the garden to fighting and then chasing through the woods behind my property...they are so darn cute. I was just obsessed," she said.

She posted many videos on social media for friends and family and jokingly called it 'Fox News,' and now that they're gone, she misses them.

"They are so, so playful, and they're so invisible to us," said Rundle Drake. "Just to be able to see something that's just part of life in nature was just so cool."

Watch this Nature of Things documentary about red foxes:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Zandbergen

Host, Reporter

Rebecca Zandbergen is from Ottawa and has worked for CBC Radio across the country for more than 20 years, including stops in Iqaluit, Halifax, Windsor and Kelowna. Most recently she hosted the morning show at CBC London. Contact Rebecca at rebecca.zandbergen@cbc.ca or follow @rebeccazandberg on Twitter.