Quantock Hills Blog
Autumn Spectacle
- Ranger Andy Harris finds the deer rut has begun!
Posted by Andy Harris on 07 October 2009
I’ve been going out early for the last few mornings to see whether or not one of autumns wildlife spectacles has begun and this morning I was rewarded with a sight to rival anything you may see on the plains of Africa.
With my back against a holly tree, a female Tawny Owl calling and with half an hour before light I heard a stag roar on the edge of a clearing about 50m away. In the half light I could just make him out, his neck black and thick from months of thrashing the velvet of his antlers. No sooner had I heard him roar than another stag replied further up the combe and over the next 40 minutes I could hear four stags declaring their presence.
As the light improved I could clearly see his antlers (brow, tray, two and three) being tilted back as he riased his head and bellowed at a group of four hinds. One of the hinds tried to run past him but the stag headed her off and rounded them all up before they all slowly disappeared into the scrub. What a sight it never fails to get the heart beating and put a spring in your step.
It was then time to make my way back to the vehicle and then the office but there was time for a quick coffee at which point a pair of dippers flew overhead calling as the went up the combe. All in all not a bad start to the day. Now it’s time for getting on with those emails!
Andy
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