Red Hind.

Thank goodness for some warm weather at long last. After a lack of photo opportunities during the last few weeks I seem to have amassed over 500 images in the last two days to sort through so here is just a taster of  one of today's wildlife encounters.

f/9: 1/500: ISO 400 using 70-300 lens and cropped.

 An inquisitive Red Hind keeping an eye on the 'watcher'.

f/10: 1/400: ISO 400 using 70-300 lens and cropped.

For a taste of some of the other wildlife seen please check out the Demoiselle, Damsel and Dragon post on FABirding.

Wherever you are have a glorious wildlife watching weekend.  FAB. 

Linking to:
Saturday's Critters
Through My Lens
image-in-ing

Who's Watching Who?

An image taken in late July that reminds me that I need to find some time to revisit the park to check out the Red Deer activity.

Alert and Inquisitive.

Red hinds with their yearlings in Bushy Park. For once I wasn't the centre of their attention!

More Reds.

A few more images from my sessions during the past two months with the Red Deer in Bushy Park.

Mother and her fawn.

No description necessary.

Totally relaxed.

Red Fawn.

This Autumn I seem to have collected a lot of photos of the Red Deer in Bushy Park so here are a few images of one of the fawns enjoying some freedom but not too far from its mother.

For some views of the Fallow Deer, please click the link to my other blog.  FAB.

Linking to NATURE NOTES hosted by Michelle.

Autumn.

The season of colour change when the verdant greens give way to yellows and golds.

 Delicate and fragile forms sprout up through the leaf litter.

Elsewhere the varied fruit-bodies have appeared ready to release their spores for the next generation.

A cock Pheasant carries his gorgeous autumnal tones around with him wherever he wanders.

The rut has quietened down so this Red Deer stag finds time to browse and replenish some of its lost reserves.

Temperatures are falling and the overhead canopy slowly allows more light to reach the floor as individual leaves float down to join their comrades and create a colourful carpet on which to tread.  FAB.

Linking to NATURE NOTES hosted by Michelle.

Strutting his stuff.

Following on from my previous post, Cooling Off, this Red Deer stag, after rooting around in the waterside vegetation, suddenly decided to show off by strutting through the water towards the far end of Heron Pond..

He finally re-emerged from the water just 30 feet from where I was standing, partially camouflaged behind a large tree trunk, and proceeded to amble slowly but purposefully in my direction. I'll admit that my heart rate skipped a few beats as he got closer and ....

... maybe just a bit too close for comfort as I could feel the air vibrate as he spoke!  

Needless to say he had other matters on his mind and totally ignored me and all the other nearby watchers as he wandered away. FAB.

Cooling Off.

Earlier this month in Bushy Park on a warm, sunny day a few Red Deer were taking advantage of the cool water and this mature stag seemed very chilled out.

Further along the pond two hinds were doing exactly the same.

Wildlife around Heron Pond.

A very mixed week weather wise so here is a small selection of the wildlife seen during my visits to Heron Pond in Bushy Park.

As usual one of the very approachable Grey Heron was waiting near the car park.

Black-headed Gulls, in various stages of their winter plumage, waiting for a handout.

Ducks on the water included the bright eyed Tufted, Gadwall with its finely vermiculated grey body and a single (Northern) Shoveler all slowly changing into their full breeding plumage.

A surprising find this week was a juvenile Herring Gull in its mottled plumage resting on the remains of a floating nest.

 The pond also supports a small but healthy population of Red-crested Pochard.

Large numbers of Jackdaw frequent the park. They are fairly friendly and always willing to pose.

The local residents also include these two introduced species, Canada and Egyptian Geese. 

At this time of year one is never far away from a Red Stag wandering through the bracken on the lookout for hinds or protecting his existing harem often resting and hidden deep in the vegetation.

During the rut the general advice is to keep at least 50 metres from any of the deer, especially the stags but sometimes they just appear and let everyone know their intentions!

And then he sauntered away to be camouflaged once again by the autumnal hues of the ferny landscape.

All these three images are cropped so I wasn't that close and always respect the boundaries when photographing any wildlife. FAB.

Linking to Camera Critters, Saturday's Critters and I'D-Rather-B-Birdin'.

Mother and offspring.

A Red hind provides her fawn with some mid morning nourishment.

The fawn is learning quickly and took up a nice pose for me.  FAB.

Taking a rest.

A few more images of one of the more mature Red Stags in Bushy Park.

Time to rest a weary head.

Wishing everyone a wonderful wildlife watching weekend, wherever you are. FAB.

Linking to Saturday's Critters.

Bellowing Stags.

This is the Red Stag that featured in my first post in this series from a recent session in Bushy Park. He was protecting a harem of around 20 hinds who were generally very docile but one individual (see below) obviously didn't appreciate the ferocity of his tone!

The next stag was frequenting the area around the pond without any hinds in tow and occasionally reacted to the other calls he heard.

He then decided to take his aggression out on a nearby tree; antlers rattling the branches and bringing a few pieces to the ground; as he tested his armoury in preparation for any forthcoming encounter.

Followed by another series of tongue curling, deep throated bellowing.

Are you impressed ..... I was.  FAB.