Spring by the River

fracster said:
I must admit to having a soft spot for them Rog, I can hear them making that wonderful noise they make well before I see them.I hear the noise and set up on the peanuts,that is all they eat that I serve up.......:thinking:
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They are a bit partial to the fat balls we have in various feeders... :D ...a true joy to see them in such numbers this time of year... (y)


And yes... heard before seen every time... ;)






:p
 
Forgot to mention,the Roe deer were in the same wood,but they were downwind of my hide,so a non starter really.There was also a pair of gooseanders on the beck, but early for them to be back I thought........:shrug:
 
(y)......:D.......:LOL:.......:clap:



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Crap photo,but at least I have found one alive.
 
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Daft bugger.


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you sure thats not a Kangaroo Ade?

Nice to see them around :D

We've been getting daily visits from a pair of Osprey for the past week, seems they dont mind living in the city :eek:

Just wish i had me bloody camera :bang: they fly within 20 metres :cool:
 
Rovers_Andy said:
you sure thats not a Kangaroo Ade?

Nice to see them around :D

We've been getting daily visits from a pair of Osprey for the past week, seems they dont mind living in the city :eek:

Just wish i had me bloody camera :bang: they fly within 20 metres :cool:
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My Mrs shot some with her kit lens (quite cropped obviously.. but enough detail to see a chick) in Australia (Sydney I think).. they lived atop a manmade nest right in the middle of a busy yacht moorings! If only their British cousins would be as willing eh!
 
I know mate, i couldnt believe it, one was sat on the mooring rope for a good 15 minutes last sunday so i sat on the helideck watching, strange to be looking down on it though
 
There were about 50 in the field we went to Andy,gimmee a shout when your back...........(y)
 
Will do (y), should be back next thursday.....but then they told me that last week too :LOL:
 
Rovers_Andy said:
If its who i think then that would be a nice present to start the new year with ;)
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(y)

He has gone, it took a lot of effort, planning, help from people I can`t mention whose help we really needed and some bloody unsociable hours.

Let us hope things improve.......:)
 
Yeah, that is a fact Andy.

Gotta check the damage this weekend though.
 
Just took the wee camcorder today.

Picked up a dead tawny owl at the side of the road,smashed in bits alas.

The old farmer took my round on his tractor, the deer are ok as long as the engine is running and you don`t get off,the vibration was appalling though.So I jumped off and crawled back towards them.It was hellish windy and i`m not up to speed with the camcorder yet,nor the software,but this is typical Sika behaviour. They are nosy, stamp thier feet and the males push the ladies to see what is happening.


[YOUTUBE]wxlk2EJtq_I[/YOUTUBE]


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Yeah,the owl was mulched,deffo roadkill.

The deer are very nervy at the moment,more so than the norm.Things should quieten down for them now.Thanks for the comment on the vid,i`m still very much learning how to use it.
 
fracster said:
Yeah,the owl was mulched,deffo roadkill.

The deer are very nervy at the moment,more so than the norm.Things should quieten down for them now.Thanks for the comment on the vid,i`m still very much learning how to use it.
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Real shame about the Owl, they do seem to have a habit of swooping in front of cars...One did it to me one night last year, but luckily no harm was done.

Brilliant start with the video seeings you're still getting use to it...Shouldn't take long I expect because of your photographic experience.

I saw a little of that stamping behaviour with the Red Deer the other week, followed by a 'fake' charge...Quite unnerving really because the younger Stags were still rutting at the time.
I'm still not 100% sure of how close I can approach them...

Anthony
 
Anthony, make sure either they have an escape route or that you do,preferably both.They are a powerful animal and those antlers can do real damage. Deer can`t climb trees,I always try and be near one,just in case.............:)
 
fracster said:
Anthony, make sure either they have an escape route or that you do,preferably both.They are a powerful animal and those antlers can do real damage. Deer can`t climb trees,I always try and be near one,just in case.............:)
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Thanks mate, sound advice I'm sure.
:) I can't climb trees either...Getting too old for that now, although I think I'd just about manage it if one of those huge Stags came bounding towards me!
 
Sika hinds in some sunshine.

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This shows just how small these animals are.Compare them to the sheep in the background.Hence my difficulty photographing them at times. Just a comparison so that people who have not seen these deer can see the size of them.


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I do wish these little buggers would stop chasing each other into the hide and around my head,it is most disconcerting.............:D


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This is in the shadow,peeking around my woodpecker feeder.
 
And a family shot. Mature hind,mature stag and one of last years young,maybe the year before difficult to be sure,but an immature one all the same.

They have found somewhere reasonably safe,which is good.


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Snowdrops are out under the Copper beech trees ........(y)


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not so keen on the oof Grass Ade, nice to see the family portrait, shame about the fencing. can you ask them to run down the hill like the sika next time (y)

Is the birdie a nuthatch?
 
The last bird is a Coal Tit Andy.

The deer are in the field we went to,the fencing is a pain,but sometimes the deer won`t go where I want them to,so it is in the background. It is good watching them hop over it though..........:)

I have a cunning plan when we go up there,i`ll leave you next to a big old ash tree in the fenceline, then i`ll creep down to the river and along the back and work my way behind them.I`ll then show myself to them and gradually push them towards you,without spooking them,you should get some good shots.
 
125 snares been left set around the place................:thumbsdown:

That is what I have found walking around the woods, God knows what has been left on the riverbanks.That is next weeks job.
 
fracster said:
The last bird is a Coal Tit Andy.

The deer are in the field we went to,the fencing is a pain,but sometimes the deer won`t go where I want them to,so it is in the background. It is good watching them hop over it though..........:)

I have a cunning plan when we go up there,i`ll leave you next to a big old ash tree in the fenceline, then i`ll creep down to the river and along the back and work my way behind them.I`ll then show myself to them and gradually push them towards you,without spooking them,you should get some good shots.
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Oi! That's cheating:p

Nice Coalie by the way (y)
 
sawman said:
Oi! That's cheating:p

Nice Coalie by the way (y)
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I trust Andy to keep his mouth shut Charlie,as you do when I see your place.

There is only one chance though,Andy understands that.................(y)
 
Record shot only,nice to see them back.Two pairs I believe.....:)


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still going strong, some great pictures of the deer and I love the LLT they are my faves too (y)
 
I spent four hours this avvie stalking the boys,trying to get the shots I wanted,they would not play ball,at all........:bang:

Maybe tomorrow.


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Lots of superb images. And more power to your elbow re your conservation type activities. :)
 
Cheers Marc.

It is a strange world though.The farmer who owns the land where these animals mainly live,looks after them and accepts them,his next door neighbour would shoot them all.Why,you may ask?. I did ask him......."because they eat the grass" was his response.................:bang:
 
Lambs are early, must be a dozen in the same pasture.



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I have watched the deer for some time now,i`m pretty sure that these are the only two decent stags left. Neither are as good as previous years lead stags, but at least there are two decent breeding stags left. Some of the younger ones will be ok in a year or two,if they make it.

The one on the right is CIC,the left one is 2IC.


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What an amazing thread/blog.....so much more interesting than Beastenders etc..... I now have a numb rear end(from all the sitting reading :p ) and have been through a gammut of emotions. A couple of years ago I was living in the middle of some forestry land and the shoot had rights on our land....it was a very frustrating time and the one and only thing I don't miss from living there. The game keeper sounds very similar to the b@st@rd you have been dealing with. He had some very strange ideas....and to top it off we never even had a brace of pheasants after the shoot had been in our fields scaring the horses :bang:

Fantastic job Ade look forward to seeing more!
 
He wasn`t a gamekeeper though, he was an utter ,weapons grade b*****d, pretending to be a keeper. None of the decent beaters or keepers would go near the place nor help him. The woods have been left in an awful state, the wasted money on new fencing,for example, is simply staggering and the lack of wildlife tells it`s own story.

Stuff is beginning to move back in,slowly. I hope the new keeper is either experienced or is in fact the old keeper. Pondering applying for the job myself.........:thinking:
 
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