Roe Deer

Sunday morning and I gently ambled to Big Waters with a poorly poorly ankle.  No Big Walk for me today so I staggered up the track and as I turned into the reserve the Roe Deer Buck was ambling across the field so with Mr Nikon in its ever ready position I snapped a couple of pics and glanced at one, aarghhh was the only word as I remembered taking pics late last night of the night sky so flicking it into automatic I managed to get a few of it just after it jumped the fence (which I missed) and stood looking at me as we were now only about 10-12m apart.  After about a minute or so it looked as though it was going to head towards the car park so my guard went down and as quick as a flash it turned and leapt back over the fence the way it had come (missed the action shot again) so a quick fiddle with the settings and a couple of better coloured pics (See if you can figure which ones they are)

The antlers tend to confirm that this is the same Buck that Allan Forster photographed on 14 September with a close up head shot after a lot of stalking (or so he gives the impression of).

Then into the hide and the first of 105 Greylags started to arrive which is not far off the record for September

Put a bit of food out in the Feeding Station including 3 Suet Balls and within a couple of hours there was only a half of one left.  At times there was up to 10 Tree Sparrows pecking away at the same time in the Feeder

Then the Red Arrows arrived (Im gonna do a blog with out airyplanes soon) although once again I missed the first one coming quite low in a looping turn which moved the ponds inhabitants over to the North side although when I went outside to get the following photo most of the Mallards decided to call it a day and head somewhere quieter.

Then the Boeing 777 (Emirates) came in and managed to get a shot of it and the Big Waters Tree

Alan, Ian and Graeme turned up after their walk full of sympathy for my poorly poorly leg (really!!!) and they discussed the bird counts for the day although there was a couple of differences.  Though I did end up with

the following figures

105 Greylags, 50 Mute Swans (incl 2 Cygnets), 5 Cormorants,

Grey Heron, 2 Curlew (over), Black-necked Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe,

15 Pochard, 5 Wigeon, 8 Little Grebe, 8 Coots, 1 Water Rail, 5 Teal,

2 Tufted Ducks, 20 Mallard and finally a solitary Goldcrest in the Feeding

Station along with the usual miscreants although the Willow Tits haven't been seen

for a few days.