How many of us check down in front of a hide when you enter to see whats lurking below? Well we all should, down in the reeds right under the window of Tim Jackson was a beautiful red deer calf!
This little spotty beauty entertained visitors throughout the day, but had evaded many too, nestled down in the reeds undetected until a visiting couple "spotted" it moving in the reeds.
The red deer hinds will often leave their calves hidden in the reeds for their protection and return for them when it is quiet. She showed up occasionally and had a glance over to where her youngster lay. The cute calf was unfazed by the attention it was getting and most of our reserve staff came down for unrivalled views too! As the day wore on two stags also appeared and walked out from the trees to the right of the hide before crossing into the middle giving superb views!
Aside from our cute spotty guest, there was time for plenty of good to excellent birds!!
Star of the feathered sightings was a honey buzzard floating from left to right along the woodland edge, this scarce migrant was confirmed my two visiting birders who had good scope views from griesdale hide before it drifted into view of Tim Jackson hide and then lost to view.
Aside from that unexpected arrival the early afternoon had also produced a green woodpecker juvenile to the right of Tim Jackson hide at the tip of the tree, and an osprey flew from the left of the hide over to the west.
The views of the osprey revealed it to be carrying an eel and was well timed to be viewed by a visiting education group (as I ran from the hide pointing to the sky as it passed over). So not a bad day despite the awful weather up until mid afternoon when the sun emerged in it's full glory!