A Pheasant Day

Early on Saturday morning I was torn between being at two location and trying to film two different animals. I have a plan to get some film of the Red Kites from a rather unusual view point and while it may not work, if it does I will be proud of myself and it could give everyone a great view of them.

Part of the trick is though getting to know the behaviour and habits well enough that I can predict what and where they will be. This was one of the places I was thinking of, but while the weather forecast was for good sunny weather, my own forecast gained from sticking my head out of the door and looking, told me that it was likely to be cloudy and dull. Therefore I went with my second option of trying to film the Deer.

Again it has taken a while to work out behaviour, ranges and likely times to see them. With the Deer I have the added complication of finding a place where I am not likely to have other people inadvertently spook them. There is a place I have found were I may get that, and where I can stay hidden and without my scent disturbing them either.

I was there very early, and had to walk there, five miles, as I needed to be there long before any buses were running. It was delightful hearing the dawn chorus start. I was tempted to stop and film some of the birds but I needed to remain focused upon the primary objective.

When I got there to the location, I set up and in the dark with the IR I spotted some movement, but at the distance I could not be sure I had Deer. Even with Infra red lights I need the animal to be reasonably close to film, but they remained just to far away. I did try and got a good imitation of a black cat in a coal cellar. As the first light of dawn broke I could see shadows in the trees, but nothing clear or distinct enough to film. After four hours I realised I had seen the best I was likely to see that morning. So I headed home and back to bed.

After a scant two hours, I was awoken by noises in the street. I did not mind, as the cat then decided I needed to be up too. When I fed her, telling her that I was sure I had fed her last week, I set to finishing the back ups of the footage I have loaded up so far. Four hours out of sixteen done so far. With that done I had lunch and decided to try for the Deer at dusk. Even though it was only mid afternoon, I went out again. This time I could get the bus there, and back.

I set up again but this time there were a few people about, walking and exercising their dogs. As there are plenty of birds at that location people thought that I was there watching the birds. While I don't mind other people being about, far to often they can be the major factor in the Deer getting spooked. I am well aware that they do not intentionally do this and are excited to see them, but I want to see more than the flash of a white rump as they bound away.

While I waited I was able to get some good footage of a few birds, nothing exceptional but they pleased me. I also got some good close up film of a Grey Squirrel that will compliment other clips I have already filmed. Also I got some good film of a Rabbit, at one point it stood up and I wondered if it had seen, heard or smelt me, my heart was in my mouth as if it could discover me then so could the Deer, but it went back to feeding. I also film a male pheasant and several females that came along too, with the rabbit there as well it looked almost as though I had staged the shot, yet it was all natural.

The Deer could come from four different directions, so I stayed quiet and waited. I was discovered by a young couple out walking and watching for birds in the evening. I chatted with them and they said unbidden that they too were hoping to see the Deer. So room was made on the log and we waited and waited. Well I did not film the Deer this time, but at both the start and end of the day I saw them in infra red, the couple were thrilled by seeing them that way too, but again to distant to film.

While it was a long one, it was a rather pleasant or should that be Pheasant day.