Tatton Park update 23rd Sept.

Before the weather changes and temperatures drop we decided to head to Tatton Park for a walk;    rutting season is only just getting underway and although I got a few pics of red deer, I didn't get the stags as they were either too far away or they were laying down in close proximity but under the dark shade of the trees !      Wasn't as sunny as promised either with grey sky mostly but I managed to take a few pics.

Apart from this, I didn't bother taking any other shots of the stags with it being too shady .....it was fairly warm at 20 degrees 

why do they always stick their tongues out to anyone holding a camera   lol  !! 

Hello beautiful  !      cute youngster peeking out from around the tree stump 

social distancing during rutting season seemed to go out the window  !!      good job the stag was placid,   looked like it was one of the gang.

You have to be careful if you walk through the long marsh grass although these were either female or youngsters ....... 

the rutting hasn't really begun in earnest yet - only heard one very distant bellow so the next few weeks will get more interesting

It is rare they lift their head up as they are constantly grazing !      waited ten minutes and gave up    lol      (taken with 400mm and 1.4 x)

On the mere's there were lots of tufted ducks, common pochard, cormorants, canada geese, GH.Gulls and a few mute Swans;   most were too distant for photos and the sky was very grey overhead.      

I saw what I assumed was a single Little Grebe;    I was wondering why I didn't see, even on juvenile or post breeding season,  any sign of pale gape on base of bill.    Just need this confirming as I thought all L.Grebes had at least a hint of pale at the base of their bill  ?

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It's a large parkland with 400 deer (red and fallow)        btw,  that's Mike in the distance walking back towards the car !