Sika Deer.

Sika Deer,  on Black Down

A trip up the hill today in the late afternoon to watch the sun set from the new stone circle. Wildlife was not much in evidence, a couple of Carrion Crows, a few Rooks on their way to their night roost, the occasional Herring Gull belatedly making its way to the coast, plus the odd Wood Pigeon. Nothing very exciting perhaps, but suddenly everything changed and on the skyline a magnificently antlered Sika Deer appeared, silhouetted against the rapidly darkening sky. Before I could get the camera from my pocket for what would have been a very dramatic shot it moved away across the heath  but continued grazing, occasionally looking up for danger. The distinctive white rump is clearly visible. Said to be nocturnal and spending the daylight hours in the woods this one has clearly made an early start on its browsing.
Shortly afterwards I caught a few short glimpses of the sun, partially obscured by thin cloud, as it set bang in the middle of the aperture through the south westerly facing pillar which  is aligned with the winter solstice sunset.

Rookery Restored.

During the summer the Rooks which inhabited the Horse Chestnut tree outside my bedroom window suddenly disappeared during the course of one day, along with many others from the village. At the time the law on pest species was in a state of flux and amid uncertainty as to whether the Rooks would remain on the list or become a protected species, did someone do a precautionary cull, 
perhaps at the night roost over the other side of the A35 ?  All went silent for a while, but this week a few of the birds which must have survived, returned to the Horse Chestnut  and are busily rebuilding three nests.

Rooks back in the Horse Chestnut.

 A pair of birds are working on the nest at the upper right and a single bird, probably the female, waits by the rather sparse nest in the centre for her mate to return with another stick which she will, with much pushing and pulling, add to the nest