Cheers M'Deer

Due to a misunderstanding between me and the keyboard, the online food order from a well known supermarket chain included a 3kg joint of pork, between 2 of us.

Feeds 11 it said on the label.

So this meant a short walk this morning as the afternoon would need to be spent organising a hog roast in the oven.

A stroll down to the short and lovely Denso Marston Nature Reserve was called for.

An elegant but silent Heron eluded us as yet again I failed to have my camera 'blip-ready'. Stood on a post on a small bridge. Would have been perfect.

I'll learn...

Same again as we went up through the graveyard at Charlestown. A squirrel was sat on a gravestone, still as a statue, colour blending perfectly with the stone, looking straight at us.

Camera was not blip-ready (and I admit to fumbling with excitement and nerves when such an awesome blip presents itself. We all know about that one... replace word 'blip' with word of your choosing...). The squirrel hopped off and the blip was gone!

I need to get in the habit of leaving the camera on the Intelligent Auto Setting, and ready to blip at the flick of a switch! I also need a bit of practise at pointing the camera in the right direction! I know that's an obvious one but when you see a blip, and you raise your camera and look at the screen, it's often tricky to get the target - especially if it's moving! I have learned not to zoom too early or you've got no chance!

Back along the canal just as we reached the end before turning off back to Baildon, low and behold over the fence there were 3 deer!

This time the camera was ready but I had to go slowly as I knew any sudden moves and the deer would be off! As it happens they did move away quickly but one remained and turned just in time for the blip. Cheers M'Deer!

Woodpecker will have to wait!