The Deer Hunter

Well, it took six nights but in the end we did get results from the trail camera.

I have lots of beautiful animals to show you tonight.
Deer Hunter Fizz(Deer Hunter Fizz)

But it is a beautiful day and we are not in a hurry to get to the woods.

Playing Ball

Playing Ball

Playing Ball

Playing Ball

Playing Ball

Playing Ball

The Winner!The Winner

Dog worn out, now we can get on šŸ™‚

Here is some of the stuff that we found in the wood.

As soon as we found the camera I could see that we had a result. I can tell what animal has been at the bait. The ground was very disrupted and all of the bait had been taken (Peanuts, Raisins and Sheep Feed) except the bread. So no Boar but I guessed Deer. I was gutted that I couldn’t leave the camera out there but I had run out of batteries. The camera had died, it told me there were 189 videos but the last 50 of those were dud due to low battery power. No matter we got some good stuff.

Don’t despise the little Fox. I would be pretty fed up if I had found 189 videos of him but I didn’t. This is a beautiful wild animal that we rarely get a chance to watch.

There is actually a stack of food there that the Fox can eat, he is just being fussy. This video was from the night before the Deer turned up and there was plenty left for them. That is bread that he is playing with in the video, I put out quite a bit but I hid it under leaves.

The Bluebells are coming up. They are not early, they won’t flower until they are supposed to in April but they always make an appearance around about now. I love the way that they pierce the leaf litter.

Bluebells

Bluebells

BluebellsWe found a bulb that had been rooted up (we replanted it) I was surprised by how big it was.

Bluebell BulbI have heard it said that Boar uproot and eat Bluebells. I spent a long time looking for evidence of this in my Bluebell wood in East Ā Sussex and I never saw any evidence of Boar eating Bluebells. They had ample opportunity and so I conclude it is an untrue slur on the Boar.

This next leaf is Variegated Yellow Archangel. It is one that I want to write about for Easy Wildflowers (probably next) so I won’t say too much about it. The leaves are about now and are easy to recognise, they actually remain all winter.

Variegated Yellow Archangel

Variegated Yellow ArchangelThis is another one that will not flower until April, when it does it will look like this.

Variegated Yellow Archangel

Variegated Yellow ArchangelNow for something that will flower in January (I hope). This is Lesser Celandine. My first pictures last year were February 24th.

Lesser CelandineLook, flower buds. These could easily open this month.

Lesser CelandineOkay, beautiful wild animals now. Plenty of video, just watch what you like. I could watch them all night.


Come on then Fizz, it is a long way home.

Play Ball

Play BallMe and my shadow.

Me and my shadowThat’s enough of that šŸ™‚

38 thoughts on “The Deer Hunter”

  1. Sometimes I wish I was living your life šŸ™‚ Then I go outside, take my sheep on the lace and make a round through the forest with her šŸ™‚

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks John šŸ™‚ Maybe more so with the Deer than other animals. They say that a Badger can smell a man three days after he has left the area but the Badgers will take food hours after I have put it out. They just don’t care. The Deer appeared when I stayed away from the camera for two nights and then only on the second night. That may have had something to do with it, they are very cautious animals.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. She can! She grew up with dogs and she even barks haha she can’t fetch the ball while it’s in the air but when you throw it she will run after it, and stand next to the ball looking at you happily like “see, I got it!!”… I love her, she’s so awesome!!

        Like

    1. Thank you Hien šŸ™‚ I don’t drive but I sympathise. Deer are a major problem on the roads here in the UK. Most estimates put the number of vehicle collisions involving Deer at around 70,000 average per year. In most of these cases the animal is either killed outright or dies later of it’s injuries.

      Like

  2. Well, we humans move into areas where other beings live and it’s pretty much our fault for what happens to us. Other beings need to live somewhere and we don’t seem to ever take that into consideration. We just do what we want to do and let everyone else fend for themselves. We have deer crossing signs in the suburbs, where there is some wilderness still left and it pays to be careful. I wouldn’t want to harm any animal and I try to be as careful as I can beā€¦always. They have as much right to live as we do and I’m sure you were scared that you almost hit one. Thankfully, everyone was alright. Horrifying to think of harming a deer.

    Colinā€¦love your video’s and Fizz looks as if he had a bath:) The deer are so beautiful and the fox. The flowers are wonderful and we aren’t even close to seeing anything green yetā€¦although this has been a great winter. It actually hit 40 degrees today and I was in the yard without a coat, it felt so warm, compared to what it has been (in the low teens and below 0). Thank you for this wonderful post.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you David šŸ™‚ Amongst the Fallow Deer there is one that I have got down as one of last year’s fawns. Most noticeable in the first video where the smaller one is in the centre and paying close attention to one of the larger does. Fallow usually give birth to a single fawn around about June.

      Like

  3. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to your posts! I love that you appreciate the way the bluebells pierce the leaf litter. It is snowing and icy cold here today; you so give me hope!

    Like

    1. Thank you Karen šŸ™‚ It amazes me that the Bluebells do pierce the leaves. The leaves are so light and the shoots move so slowly but they must have a force within them.

      Like

  4. A lovely post again especially with all the deer videos. I liked hearing the Tawny Owl hooting. I am also fond of foxes. I remember gardening one evening after work many years ago and becoming aware of a family of foxes in the garden. One of the cubs got nearer and nearer to me and then it grabbed one of my gardening gloves and ran off with it and played with it for ages. I was living in South London at the time but urban foxes hadn’t become as brave and common as they are now. I felt very honoured.

    Like

    1. Thanks Clare šŸ™‚ I filmed Fox cubs in a friend garden two years ago they are fun to watch. I love the Tawny Owls they are another bird that haunts this farm and I hear them every night. We have a Screech Owl too, I don’t often hear that but when I do it sounds exotic and wonderful.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Eliza šŸ™‚ The Fox is a very cautious animal, they all are. It is us they distrust. Robert burns wrote this poem in 1785, the second verse echoes through my life, it is always there. To a Mouse. It amazes me that in 1785, without the aid of social media, a man could be so aware šŸ™‚

      Like

  5. Deer and foxes are very different creatures but both so beautiful to watch. We actually have wild deer in Australia now due to “escapees” from farms and animal parks. I enjoyed your films, pics and commentary once again. Getting very “artsy” with mid-air ball shots. šŸ˜‰

    Like

  6. I enjoyed the videos! And the leaves “piercing” last falls dead debris. Only you would express it so well. Here is where I come for peaceful time. I can hardly wait for the bluebells and other lovely flowers we enjoy in your walks with Fizz.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Ettel šŸ™‚ I love the little Bluebell shoots breaking through the leaves and from now until they flower in April the woodland floor will just get greener and greener. I love the start of the year when we have everything ahead of us and so much to look forward to.

      Like

  7. Loved the way the night camera can still pick up the Fallow tail/rump markings after dark. The picture of Fizz running away from the camera had me, I thought I was seeing a lapwing!

    Like

  8. Oh my hyacinths are just tipping out. So ready for blooms! Love the deer pic. I never mind critters in my yard, even if they do eat my stuff. They have to make a living,too.

    Like

Leave a comment