Red Deer Rut - Bushy Park

Today I made a visit to Bushy Park, mainly to observe the Red Deer rut which is in full swing at the moment. Not for me the Highlands and Islands of Scotland or the wild wastes of Exmoor, just an old Deer Park in London. Firstly, I have to say it was highly educational and most entertaining. Be under no illusions these are truly wild beasts and although used to close human approaches the rut changes everything. The eligible stags become testosterone supercharged sex maniacs with just one aim - to fight everyone in the neighbourhood and end up with the largest harem.

When I arrived at sun up and parked the car in the car park to the east of the Diana fountain I was greeted by the sound of bellowing stags all around the park. The hinds were grazing peacefully, some by the main road through the park, others in the bracken. Soon enough a large stag appeared and it was obvious from his demeanour that he was spoiling for a fight, another smaller stag fancied his chances and the ritual started. Lots of parallel walking and bellowing, no real combat just posturing but you just knew that something would happen. There were lots of photographers present and no doubt they had read the rules and advice on the Royal Parks website - keep your distance. The clear blue sky resulted in an early morning mist and things were perfect. Having taken lots of silhouettes  and backlit misty ethereal shots I manoeuvred to get some front sunlight shots, then it happened, a jogger ran within ten yards of one of the stags, to say the stag took exception is an understatement, a massive charge and the guy took refuge behind a tree, unfortunately the stag started to run round the tree desperate to get at him. Finally shouting for help he climbed the tree, great drama photographed by the onlookers. Someone took pity on him and called the police who duly drove away the stag and released the shaken victim. As a witness I gave a full statement in support of the stag  - the jogging plonker should have been locked up.

See the video taken by another photographer  here

Testosterone supercharged??  with an undercarriage like that - definitely




Annoyed? - you bet I am

Heeeeelp!

Later a walkabout showed that there were many more deer present, mostly in the bracken and obviously not taking part in the rut - being somewhat junior I guess.

Additional bonuses with close ups of a very obliging Little Owl and of course the ever present Ring-necked Parakeets which make an excruciating noise.

There are lots of small waterways crossing the park which hold a variety of wildlife,

All I can say - "Thoroughly Recommended" - apparently there are more incidents with the deer in Bushy than Richmond Park - you takes your pick

Nut Jobber

The nut-jobber, is an  Old English name for the Nuthatch, job relating to an old verb meaning to prod or stab.  To most birders this bird is an easy tick but south of the Downs and on the coastal plain it isn't so frequently seen. As I stated recently we have been at our Goring-by-Sea residence for twenty four years before our first record - now we have a resident, well he visits most days and is earnestly working his way through the black sunflower seeds. This is much to the chagrin of the Coal Tits who, on our patch,  are the number one consumers of these delicacies. It would be nice if he/she stayed for the winter as it certainly brightens up the feeding station.



Nut Jobber

Eurasian Nuthatch, Sitta europaea



Interloper!!

Woods Mill

During my random surfing on the web I had by chance come across the Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust and discovered that they were having an open day at the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Woods Mill. Furthermore that Dr. Richard Osmond would be attending with his Hi Tech Wild Trek trailer. Richard and I were near neighbours some 33 years ago and I thought it about time we renewed our acquaintance, especially as he had got me "into" moths back then.

It was a day for taking the macro lens and I set out on a walk to the other end of the reserve, hoping for a few late butterflies and some early morning dragonflies.  The place was more or less deserted but who should I meet on the way back to the car park - none other than Richard, with buckets and dipping net, catching the specimens for the day. When we exchanged greetings he was totally unfazed as if it was just yesterday that we had been talking to each other.

More about OARTS can be found here.



Richard and his trailer

Brilliant to be up close and personal with water life.

Out on the reserve there are still lots of 'bugs' to be found

Dock Bug, Coreus marginatus??

 

Seed Weevil - Apion frumentarium

Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas



Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum

 

 

Comma, Polygonia c-album - a tad worn round the edges

 

 

Not many birds to be seen but Chiffchaffs were numerous around the lake.

Oenanthe

Yesterday was another slow day, I started at Farlington in the pouring rain just as the tide was well on the make. There was a whole host of waders at the waters edge and I expected them to be slowly pushed into the corner by the car park. Wrong! they didn't pause much before going to roost at the lagoon, even the obliging Greenshanks beat a hasty retreat.  Work was being carried out on the sea wall, with mechanical diggers and vans in attendance, so I left early, battling against the early morning commuter traffic.

I called in to Ivy Lake at Chichester GPs in the hope of a vagrant tern or something more exotic, unfortunately just an ever increasing Coot population. On to the North Wall at Pagham, Breech Pool water levels looked more like normal after the recent heavy rains.
Just the usual suspects present, BTGs, 3  Snipe, 3 Dunlin, a Kingfisher passing through and plenty of Teal. Fly overs included Buzzard, Yellow Wagtail, Swallow, House Martins and a few tardy Sand Martins.  The rains have started to create pools in the field beyond the stile and several Curlew had already taken the opportunity to investigate.

On the wall  a confiding Wheatear, just posing and almost saying "photograph me" so I duly obliged, how could I say no.

No Peregines visible - even 5 miles away

Do the noble Burghers of Chichester pay more community charges? It seems the place is in permanent sunshine.