Goldfinches but No Deer

I have today had a rather fruitless but enjoyable day sitting in a hide waiting to try and film deer with their young.

The opportunity came about from helping one of the elderly residents in the village with her shopping on the free bus that goes to the supermarket. All I do is help folks who need it get their bags on or off, as do many others and its all part of the community here. But one day while I was wearily trudging up the hill with camera and tripod I saw one of the old folks from the bus. She was with her daughter. Anyway, we passed pleasantries and I trudged up the hill, I was gasping for a cup of tea and a toilet break if the truth be told. I was only ten yards from my road, I live near the end of the road so I was nearly home, when the daughter stopped her car by me and asked if she could have a chat. I told her that I had to get into the house and if she was willing to let me get there strait away, we could talk there.

I had just left the front door open for her as I dashed for the bathroom. Fortunately my cat had introduced herself to her. I put the kettle on and she agreed to stop for a cup of tea. What she wanted to do was thank me for helping with her mothers shopping and could I help keep an eye on her. Primarily call her if her mother failed to get the bus or her shopping. While I said I would I also explained that I don't always do my shopping on the same day.

While we drank our tea, she asked me about what I had been filming. As always I showed her rather than explained. This led to her telling me that her husbands parents had this land and there were Deer there regularly. Cutting this a little shorter, I ended up in a tent, erected by the husband trying to film the Deer. Unfortunately I did not see the Deer and when I was leaving I discovered that the Deer had been seen in the field behind me. Well another time perhaps I will have more luck.

I did think that the location would be good for birds in the spring, and had the tent been better sited I could have filmed the goldfinches that were feeding on the thistles there. It is one of those aspects of wildlife watching that can be frustrating, but it is a relaxing experience though.