Having been travelling for work the last week or so I've missed the opportunity to get out and about with the camera. I managed to rectify that this morning, though.
It was very muggy, less like early June and more like the rut in August. Heading down the track with the dogs it was clear that, from a birdlife perspective, nearly all the fledglings must have now left the nest, as the change was noticeable.
I caught sight of a deer in the distance which turned out to be a muntjac buck. Last time I saw the big buck he was limping, but on the basis that this was him he seemed to be moving fine now, though I'll keep my eye on him to make sure:
Moving further down the track I could see that they've now ploughed the cover crop field, so I moved on to the adjacent hay meadow. Seeing nothing there, I carried on for another field or two and felt that the morning was likely to be blank. Turning back, I came through a gap in the hedgerow and back into the hay meadow when, looking up, I could see a pair of ears in the distance. There was a roe doe coming towards me through the long grass with a buck following behind.
The doe kept the lead and moved towards me:
Eventually she twigged I was there, though the four dogs had kept still and quiet. She wasn't 100% sure what to make of me, so the three of us spent the next 10 minutes in a Mexican stand-off, she and the buck trying to figure out what I was, me trying to keep still and avoid spooking them. All this time I was trying to capture some photos - holding the camera on the monopod with one hand, the other keeping hold of the lead of my young cocker. Finally they decided to turn back, and slowly made their way back to the wood.
It was very muggy, less like early June and more like the rut in August. Heading down the track with the dogs it was clear that, from a birdlife perspective, nearly all the fledglings must have now left the nest, as the change was noticeable.
I caught sight of a deer in the distance which turned out to be a muntjac buck. Last time I saw the big buck he was limping, but on the basis that this was him he seemed to be moving fine now, though I'll keep my eye on him to make sure:
Moving further down the track I could see that they've now ploughed the cover crop field, so I moved on to the adjacent hay meadow. Seeing nothing there, I carried on for another field or two and felt that the morning was likely to be blank. Turning back, I came through a gap in the hedgerow and back into the hay meadow when, looking up, I could see a pair of ears in the distance. There was a roe doe coming towards me through the long grass with a buck following behind.
The doe kept the lead and moved towards me:
Eventually she twigged I was there, though the four dogs had kept still and quiet. She wasn't 100% sure what to make of me, so the three of us spent the next 10 minutes in a Mexican stand-off, she and the buck trying to figure out what I was, me trying to keep still and avoid spooking them. All this time I was trying to capture some photos - holding the camera on the monopod with one hand, the other keeping hold of the lead of my young cocker. Finally they decided to turn back, and slowly made their way back to the wood.