I was out walking along the cycle path, a couple pf miles out of town by the old British Gypsum place which now seems to be home to a French company making washbasins and toilets for the luxury market. I had just gone past the little section of woodland where occasionally Polish folk set up little encampments and tents.
No-one there at the moment, but the rubbish and filth still is, sadly.
I had decided against crossing the land where a certain member of a certain community had threatened me last year - I could see there was a bonfire and that someone might be around. So I took the turn off onto the road.
I had been listening to Desert Island Discs where the guest, a mixed race composer and double bassist had been of how her Nigerian father had first taught her music by singing "Twinkle Twinkle" at her, and that she had then got into "The Sound of Music" in a big way, and that would be her next choice.
And right at the moment that Julie Andrews sang "Doh a deer, a female deer" a female muntjack deer, about the size of an alsation dog, suddenly skittered across the path directly in front of me, about 5 metres away!
I thought it might have been a roe deer at first, but the longer flashing white tail rather than white bum of the roe indicated it was a muntjac, a species I've never seen before.
I was thrilled to see it - they've been reported in town before but I've never seen one.
It topped even seeing three egrets on the BLue Lake now, and 6 goosander as well!
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.02.18
It topped even seeing three egrets on the BLue Lake now, and 6 goosander as well!
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.02.18
Those surprise sightings, though often fleeting, are among the best.
ReplyDeleteMuntjacs are common around here and one is regularly heard "barking" at night from the field outside my bedroom window. Some nights I would gladly send that one up to Newark".
ReplyDeleteWhere I used to go running along a public right of way once a year (that way you keep them open) with a group in the Pennines there was an irritable farmer who'd come out every year (must have been at the window waiting for us) with his shotgun and shout obscenities at us. There's nowt so queer as folk.
ReplyDeleteI saw a muntjac once down the lane by the farm Si - i too was excited by such a rare sighting.
ReplyDeleteSadly Simon, there are those that make life difficult for the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteWise to turn back.
What a fabulous experience. A deer ran in front of my car last year. Fortunately I was not driving past so she lived to see the day.
Thank you for enjoying my account of this magical little encounter
ReplyDelete