Back Garden

[Boddie]

I just took the dogs for a walk in the land at the back of my garden, apparently owned by a chap that runs the old dye works. Theres a couple of carp ponds and a fairly rapid river but I guess that at no time was I ever any further than 200 meters as the crow flies from my house.

Within 5 seconds of going over the wall I saw two roe deer within 50 yards then a further 3 later on, on the other side of the river.

I met a chap who was on the other side of the river, which was flowing too fast to cross, and he tells me that they have kingfishers from around May, when I am guessing the river is less rapid. Its in quite a valley, so I think you'd have to have a good sunny day to get images, but this will be my project for this year. The dogs go home on Sunday so I'll get down there a bit next week and try be a bit more discreet, see if I can get some images of the deer

[Pete Collins]

That sounds a great place to have at the back of your garden, Boddie. Good luck with photographing the deer and kinfisher!

[Jez]

A good way to spend your Sundays, esp when you get photo's your pleased with. Enjoy and good luck!

[Picidae]

Another project Boddie?! Sounds like a lovely location for wildlife where you are.

Just a gentle reminder though for anyone about and about trying to photograph Kingfishers in May: They are a Schedule 1 protected bird and extremely vulnerable to disturbance when nesting. If you see any nest activity, please a/keep it to yourself/or only report to your County Recorder, and b/keep a very safe distance and don't try to photograph them near the mud banks. (Perhaps safer to wait until late June/July for photography?). It's even more important this year following such a bad weather spell, that breeding is successful. Kingfishers are particularly vulnerable to bad weather.

(Hope the 'clean up project' is progressing somewhat!)