Helmshore: Deer spotting

The first few days of May saw much activity for the local Roe Deer population, after the last few weeks of me seeing virtually none!

I walked around Musbury on Friday morning and there were eight different deer. My record is 13 on this hour long walk, so I was pleased with this number.

Most of them ran off when I approached, but this doe remained across the Brook and faced me off. I wonder if she had a kid hiding in the long grass. I have come across does with fawns before and they have run at me, barking to distract me from the young which are hidden nearby.

The does will start to calf in May/June so hopefully I will see some of the kids around the valley in the coming weeks. They usually have twins and they are a vibrant chestnut n colour and beautifully spotted. I have not seen any for a couple of years, but here is a video I took in June 2022 of a doe and her twin kids.

Roe deer doe and kids, June 2022

The Wildlife trust have a page about Roe Deer here if you want to know more – https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/roe-deer

The cows are back on the valley fields and they were clustered around the kissing gate on Musbury Brook on my usual morning route. They looked quite placid, but I have fallen foul of cows before and they have young calves, so I had to make a detour back up the hill to avoid walking near them with the dog; never underestimate how fast cows can move!

Along the route, I also saw plenty of bird life. this meadow pipit raced ahead of me, alighting on the fence posts as I walked along the footpath, always just ahead.

Elsewhere, along the riverside walk, the trees were full of birds foraging for their young. A wren obligingly paused to allow me to take a few photographs; usually they are much too fast.

I also spotted a blackbird amongst the foliage of a horse chestnut, beautifully lit by the sun.

Around the textile museum car park, there was much activity from the grey squirrels. One of them was teasing Pepper, before scurrying off up the trees with some kind of treasure in its mouth. It was clearly a very desirable prize as it was fiercely pursued by a rival squirrel who also wanted the treasure. When I zoomed in later, it appeared to be a block of wood; obviously a precious commodity in squirrel terms!