WILDLIFE WATCHING -- The first indication was a missing chicken a couple of months ago.

A Pullman resident emailed and asked about the prevalence of foxes in this region.

"Are you sure it wasn't a coyote?" I asked.  

He sent a photo and it was clearly a fox.   He fortified his chicken coop and went with the flow.

Weeks later, a neighbor had video of fox kits sunning at the opening of a den -- in her back yard!

"Foxes are fairly common in Eastern Washington, but as you get farther away from human habitation, my understanding is that they don't compete very well with coyotes," said Kevin Robinette, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regional wildlife manager.

Well these foxes certainly had the "closer" to human habitation angle of survival worked out.

Last week, the homeowner captured video of the foxes farther out from the front of the den playing, wrestling and definitely full of energy.

Moments ago, I received the photo above showing the kits on a full-fledged romp.

Look out Pullman!