My lunchtime walks I take outside at work are so important to me - it gives me a chance to clear my head, burn off some of the energy my hyperactivity and tourettes send coursing through my body and brain and on our wildlife rich campus, give me a chance to see what is around.
I wasn't expecting to see what I saw trotting across the road at the roundabout at the site entrance.
It was a small brown deer, barely the size of a border collie, and it ambled onto some grass and started munching away under some trees next to the lorry park.
I hid behind a hedge, readied my cameraphone and tried to sneak up on the little creature. I rounded the corner, saw it about 20 metres away, and then it looked up and saw me.
It didn't hang around to see if I was friendly. It took off like the proverbial scaleded cat, ran back across the roundabout, across another road and found its way off campus through the wooden fence behind the wildflower meadow while I tried to take photographs.
I knew from the size, bodyshape, lack of a powder puff tail and the absence of antlers that I was almost certainly a female muntjac deer - they have been spotted around town before - but I did a little research to check and indeed that's what it was.
They are not native to the UK, they were introduced to Woburn Park from China in 1838, and after various escapes became established in the south of England. They have obviously decided to make their way north if they are being seen here.
I've seen roe deer in Newark, and indeed at work, before, but this little muntjac was a new one to me!
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 23.07.21
Funny little creatures. Years ago in Bath a muntjac fell into the river in the centre of town. It was rescued by firemen and released up on a golf course. Then someone wrote to the local newspaper that as it was a 'foreigner' it should not have been released!
ReplyDeleteA very familiar sight around here but didn't know they were heading north.
ReplyDeleteWell captured seeing as how it took you by surprise. We used to see them on the roads just north west of London a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteLovely to have them here. I have once seen one.
ReplyDeleteThank you all, you never know what you might bump into at work!
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