DEER SURPRISE

   Last week I spent a day sitting in a semi dry ditch in the hope that one of the many Hares in a field would approach near enough to picture or at least partake in some 'mad march ' behaviour but unfortunately the weather had other ideas and the keen north -easterly wind meant that the hares decided to keep their heads down and they hardly ventured from their scrapes. Wrapped up in thermals with a flask of hot coffee I was comfortable enough but had to settle for distant views of Buzzards and Marsh Harriers and began to think that the day would be a waste when a Chinese Water Deer appeared at the far end of the field.

   Slowly the deer made its way across the field towards me in the ditch and as I was downwind it did not detect my presence and got closer and closer. I snapped away with the camera until it was only about 30 feet from me before it suspected something was amiss and paused at which point I froze, keeping my face behind the camera and hardly daring to breathe. It seemed ages but was only probably about 30 seconds before the deer slowly walked around me and made its way towards some nearby trees and I was able to move again. These animals are usually very wary around humans and I don't often get such close encounters with them, lucky me!