Bratley

I d just worked over 27 days on the trot and was looking foward to a day in the New Forest so decided to blow the dust of my camera and scoot of to the Bratley area.

The roads leading through the Forest was strewn with large broken branches and leaves from the high winds and heavy rain on Friday. I turned up at about 07:00 as I got out of the car I was surprised how strong the wind was still blowing and worst still puddles in the car park this ment the marshes would be deep and alot bigger than on my last visit.

Still smiling I headed off to the wood where I have spent many hours watching Fallow deer on previous visits. On arrival I soon realised that 4 weeks had changed this wood almost beyond recognition no ferns no leaves no cover at all, I cold see almost see through the wood to the other side now. Unpurturbed I found my spot set up my camo,camera and sat back, I then realised I seen or heard nothing on the walk there (except for the wind)

The first 30 mins passed quite slowly nothing to see nothing even to listen to, but the second 30mins improved I heard a blackbird something had frightend it and a squirrel started to show me just how clever he was at acrobatics he seemed to keep glancing over his sholder to see if I was still watching whilst he turned somersaults high up in the leafless branches above me, I had to take his photo he may have been all was going to see all day.

After an hour and a half I decided to move off across the heath towards North Oakley looking out and listning for birds proved pointless as the wind was still very strong as I saw Bolderwood farm I wonderd if the deer maybe grazing there somewhere. Sure enough, at last I could see in the distance about 15 or so Fallow does (ah wildlife) i crept through the small tree cover set up my tripod and 300 lens and tried out my X 2 converter which meant manual focus worth it though as there was good light and several odd coloured coats for this time of year.

That was better,after 20 mins or so of watching and taking 50 or so shots I was drawn back to to the heaths wondering where the bucks were. Whilst trying to evade the marshie bogs I was forced to higher ground that gave me a good veiw of the heathland. Then I looked up at the blue sky to see a Buzzard then looked around to see 2 more then another 2, FIVE. . . five Buzzards just hanging in the stiff 20 mph wind no wing beats just angling their wings and bodies moving great distances excellerating to great speeds then holding station beautifull brown and white bodies with black and white wings. They were so quick I just pointed the camera and shot they were quite high then in no time they were they back over where they came from then gone alltogether. I thought they maybe Harriers at first and hoped at least one of the shots would be in focus so i could check later.

No such luck all out out of focus. I put it down to the excitement and high winds.

After Id got over that I wanted to get home to check on the photograps so I carried on up the hill towards the car park but took a slight detour through the last small coppce before the main road.Twenty feet into the wood I bumped into an old freind a white 3 -4 yr.old fallow buck (Id photographed him before) he stared straight at me I brought the camera up to my face and shot (thinking he would be gone before the shutter returned) but to my amazement he stood his ground stared back then started to forage and slowly walked off as if I wasnt there. I followed him then noticed he was with 5-6 of his male mates they were all moving in unison though the wood nibbling and chewing looking back at me and casually moving on. I was following at a distance of 20-30 ft as they moved I moved at one stage I got so close I was level with them with one behind me, I was in the middle of them and they didnt mind. These were probably the guys Id watched weeks previously clashing antlers with such force that I was sure a death was imminent and here they were quietly eating together. They scared a cock pheasant who intern scared them but only for a few seconds then calm again. We carried on through the wood and nearly back to where we'd started when they met up with 2 does who saw me, panicked and shot off along with my new freinds, that was that on my own again.

Sat in my car I was looking at my camera wondering if I should check the contents before I told anybody about my day as I was begining to doubt these encounters myself

Regards

Rob