Getting a Mud Bath

Following my rather spontaneous trip out yesterday, I considered cancelling my planed trip out to watch one of the trails. There is a location in my local area where I regularly see wildlife tracks, however it is also crossed with regular human traffic.

Therefore, I needed to ascertain when the human traffic stopped and when the animal traffic started. That required me to venture out in the night yet again. Because my plans were adjusted during the day, after getting back and feeding and watering myself, I was tempted to stay in the warm. But, I also knew that because the weather was less than clement, there was less risk of getting disturbed by people.

Now while I don't have a problem with others sharing the countryside, the number of times that the presence of other people does impact the behaviour of the wildlife. Also, as I want to at a latter date set up a camera trap, I needed to discover a time block when I can leave the equipment set up without the risk of this expensive piece of kit disappearing.

Now dear reader, you understand why I was wandering about in the dark, in the forest, in the cold, you also need to understand that with the recent rain and snow, the ground was very muddy and slippery under foot.

In the summer, no matter how much repellent I use I become the picnic for a variety of insects, but as it is early spring I was not expecting to suffer that problem. I do love being in the woods after dark. While it is cold and damp, sitting or standing comfortably often you can hear much of what is happening in the Forest.

In the wood the wildlife gets on with there lives far from us humans and at night is when most of the activities go on. So settling down I set about discovering what was active. Listening just to the sounds of the forest does not always tell you exactly what's there, but the scampering of small mammals was evident. I also heard the sounds of Owls out hunting. I could not positively identify what species, but I heard the sound of one taking a vole or a mouse. As I peered into gloom, I think I could see the bird fly off, but with no clear view I could not say what it was. I also saw and heard a fox go by.

As I sat I could hear the deer were active too, but I could not see them. After I thought they had passed I decided I would have a drink from my flask. I don't know if it was some sound that I made, or the aroma of the coffee but some fifteen feet from behind me came a burst of sound as four or five Roe Deer burst into activity as they made to flee from my presence. This caused me to drop my flask in the mud. It took me about half an hour to gather my gear back together. I ended up looking like I was doing an impression of a hippopotamus by the time I was finished.
It is not the first time that I have been startled by wildlife, I doubt that it will be the last. I am just glad that I do not have a wife or partner to go back to, or else I would be sleeping in a kennel.

However, my primary objective was fulfilled and I know that it will be possible to set up the camera trap. There was no human disturbance and this will mean I can avoid doing my impressions of icicles or mud loving animals.