My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
To view pictures in larger format, just click on any picture for the picture gallery....

Tuesday 12 October 2010

How's the Red Deer Rut doing?

For those of you living in the UK, and those who watch Autumnwatch, you're probably fed up with pictures etc. of Red Deer! I turned on the TV to see a bit of the first programme last week and it was about the Deer in Richmond Park which is one of my locals - although I don't visit it that often.

I went to my local patch of Bushy as the Red Deer are now getting more active. And active they were. However, wanting to practice more with camera settings, I tried some birds on the Boating Pond... sorry but the subjects have been on my blog many times before!

I think this Canada Goose got in the way of two cobb Mute Swans... one of which was being chased by the other and finally flew off down to the other end of the pond!
(All taken with the 100-400 mm lens)


A Female Mallard had a bathe then got down to some serious "conducting of the invisible orchestra"

The Black-headed gulls are now coming back after their summer holidays... and are very quarrelsome. This is not the best picture I've ever taken but I was entertained by the pose - they didn't actually collide despite what it looks like.

They were bathing too and this one is now nicely clean!

Then another argument but I managed to miss the gull in flight - they're a tadge too fast for me at times!

And they were very noisy too.
but this Jackdaw just stood silently watching and minding its own business......

OK - Red Deer. Very active and many of the Stags rushing about and roaring.

This Fallow Buck was happier lying under a tree in sleepy mode.

The "main man" was in a totally different area yesterday and it took sometime to find them. He had about 8 hinds gathered around him and was constantly being approached by about 6 other males - all of which he chased off and no fights today. The Hinds don't seem ready yet but I imagine in a day or two, matters will be hotting up even more.

Antlers raking the ground.

A young Fallow Deer - chewing!

In another area, some young Stags were resting and the Jackdaws took full advantage. It looked as they they were finding insects in the coats of the Deer.


And in the Woodland Garden - autumn colours are coming out.


Long may all this sunshine last.... although I think that's too much to hope for.

7 comments:

holdingmoments said...

That poor old Canada Goose, caught up in that dispute; I bet he made a quick exit.
Good catch with the dive bombing gull, and the deer shots, excellent.

Unknown said...

Great shots...
Costas

Anonymous said...

Well Tricia, disappoint you did not! well worth the wait lol.

That poor old Canada Goose eh, wrong place to be between feuding Swans!! Just love the Female Mallard. As for the rest, well it just goes to show what a superb eye for the photo you have! The capture, its the difference between a photo thats ok, and a superb detailed one.
The Gulls, WOW, so much detail in under wing markings, on the adult winter, and the same on the lesser coverts of the 1st winter youngster.

The 4th photo of the adult winter,making all the noise! probably fed up with the young one! causing a disturbance.

paul.

Carol said...

The aerial shot where they didn't collide is wonderful...and I love the Red Deer.I wonder if the birds are looking for ticks?

oldcrow61 said...

Fabulous photos of the birds. Also, something I never tire of seeing...the beautiful deer. Great shots.

Gaina said...

I love that photo of the diving BH Gull, I'd be really chuffed if I'd taken it :).

It's going to get really cold next with with a full-on northerly wind apparently so their should be some new winter migrants to photograph :).

Tricia Ryder said...

Keith - thank you and yes, glad I wasn't that Canada Goose - definitely wrong place, wrong time!

Costas - thank you.

Paul - I'm just so lucky that it's fairly easy to get gull shots in Bushy!!

Carol - nice to see you here. They have to be so agile to avoid collisions don't they! I'm sure the Jackdaws are searching for insects. In the Spring they take the hair from the deer for their nests!

OC - I always think of you when I post the deer pics! Hopefully they'll be some more over the next few days

Gaina - I was rather pleased despite the fact it's not very good technically!

I'm dreading but hopeful for the northerly wind!

Related Posts with Thumbnails