The Roe deer are my favourite visitors to the garden at this time of the year. It always surprises me that such big animals live so close and yet we rarely see them up close. They are very shy and they don’t normally come close to the house but just occasionally they surprise us. Last week we were having dinner at around 8pm when I looked up and saw two deer close to the window. Even though I think they could see me they stayed for several minutes. More typically I walk around the edges of the field next to the garden with my video camera running and hope to catch them as they spring from the thickets along the fence line and charge down to the woods. But I am always excited when I catch a glimpse. Last night I saw a deer feeding in the field. There was an overgrown pylon in the line of sight so I crept up behind it. The wind was blowing towards him so I was pretty certain he would be aware of me and sure enough as I came round the side of the pylon he was ready to dash. But I caught a glimpse of him leaping into the woods. I slowed the film to reveal the grace with which he turns and leaps. Last year we had two baby deer about this time, but I haven’t seen any young-uns not so far.
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