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When I was entering a field I saw a hen pheasant in the field to my left I started taking photos. It moved out of sight and while waiting for it to reappear I looked over my shoulder to see if there was any activity up the other end of the field. I was surprised to see a deer coming up very close behind me.
I've found a interesting looking place for wildlife watching, standing on a bank with wetland on one side and open woodland on the other. There are plenty of rabbit size holes for wildlife to appear from.
I've cleared the area where I'm going to stand of twigs and stuff, looking around I've also cleared any branches that look like they could get in the way of photos. On the way out I've cleared a lot of the twigs to create a path so I can get to my stand point without making to much noise.
Moving out of the woods I saw a Grey Heron take flight from further up the field and missed a photo opportunity because my camera was still set for the darker wood area.
Following the Herons flight took my eye to a brown form moving across the field it took me a moment to realise it was a deer. As I bent to rest my camera on my monopod it must have seen the movement and it came to a stop to look at me, I was happily snapping a way at this point, in the past when I was wearing grey clothing deer would usually bolt, but I think my new green gear paid off today as it just moved off with the same pace as it had been using across the field.
Moments like this are great to see something as wonderful as a deer up close it gived me a kind of adrenalin rush that lasts for ages.
Today I saw a pied wagtail sitting on a fence post. I quickly took a couple of snapshots before it moved. I then rested on my monopod took a couple more shots. It still didn't move so I tried manual focus eventually it flew off.
I'm really enjoying myself being out and about watching wildlife.
Since I bought my green outdoor gear I have found myself standing quite close to rabbits and pheasants.
What I have found is they will tolerate quite a bit of movement on my part as long as it is slow and steady, changing a battery in the camera scratching that irritating itch behind my ear that always comes when up close to something, head turning all this seems to be all right the movement that really gets them running for cover is if they notice you take a step.
Which brings me to another observation about wildlife watching when I started doing this last year I was doing a kind of power walk around the fields thinking the more ground covered the more I would see. Wrong! Recently I've taken to standing at the side of farmers fields and after a little while something usually comes out of any woodland nearby. If they are a fair way down the field I try moving closer if they run for cover I just continue to the spot were I was heading for and wait chances are they will come out again in the same general area.
Had a walk to Arcot today after the dry weather lately I was able to explore areas that I haven't been able to get to until now.
Didn't see any deer, the main reason for the trip. Watched a Grey Herron feeding by the reeds. Saw a mute swan on the nest and saw my first mouse size mammal on the bank of a stream but missed the photo opportunity.
We seem to have plenty of yellowhammer in our area I've photos of them in several different locations or the same one is following me around. Saw a Thrush as well today. Two pheasants broke cover in front of me managed to get a snapshot of both. The rabbits were out in force actually moving around chasing each other, makes a change from the sitting munching grass photos.
One rabbit came so close I took the photo without using any zoom.
