A roe deer seeking food in the gardens

Standing at my study window I spotted a pair of bullfinches in the nearby neighbour’s tree. Grabbing my camera I scared them off but carried on trying to photrograph a blackcap, which I managed to do rather poorly as it was a fair distance away from me and the light was poor in the late afternoon.

I stood looking around the gardens and across The Horns valley. I was slightly startled to see what appeared to be movement in a garden two doors down, but it was very subtle. I tried to look through the lens but there was nothing obviously moving in the long grass. The former tenant died a while ago and his formerly much loved garden has gone to rack and ruin.

After a few minutes gazing I looked back and then saw a shape and knew it was a deer as it moved very slowly looking carefully from side to side for any dangers. It then gingerly moved forward out of sight and I never saw it again, although it must have eventually retreated the way it came as there was no other access to that garden.

I’ve watched muntjac deer in our garden several times over the years but have never seen a roe deer venturing so close to these houses. It must have wandered in over the bottom garden boundary, which borders on to the steep wooded hillside of The Horns valley, forming part of the AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).