10th June - I Like a Guy With Quick Moves and Speed.

After last night's doe sighting I decided to have another look late morning hoping that maybe I could see the family this time.  I had also heard that the chicks in the Kestrel nest were showing.  Once again short of time I drove up to the pond to park.  It was another blustery day with the wind still in the north east making it quite cool.  However today there was a little more sunshine about which at least made it a little more acceptable.

As I walked into the wood the woodpecker was still calling, it must drive the adults mad.  I took the perimeter path and looked across towards the Kestrel nest but couldn't see anything of the chicks but I could just make out the female in the box.  Looking across the field I could see the doe again close into the fence.

I moved from the path to a better spot and I could also get a better view of the Kestrel.  As I watched the box I could see a white downy wing flapping about, and then a head appeared alongside the female, a white shape that was clearly one of the chicks.

Going back to the deer I found that she was now making her way slowly across the filed, stopping every so often to feed, and to look in front of her, her ears pricked forward listening.  She did this several times, then when she was standing still I noticed movement in the grass ahead of her, then saw two small bodies moving or springing through the grass.  when they stopped moving you could not see anything.  The only reason I know they were there was because I could see her licking something in the grass.  The kids must have been lying down in the middle of the field completely covered by the long grass

She then decided to lead them off across the field.  I could see the doe as she walked, but the kids were struggling to keep up, having to spring and jump through the grass which allowed me to see a little more than just two pairs of ears.

She led them to the far side, and then proceeded to walk along the line of the fence, stopping to feed on the leaves, the youngster doing like wise, but also skipping and jumping about.

Together the three of them made their way towards the far corner.  

You can see that the kids have the spots on their backs which gives them such excellent camouflage in the grass.

As they walked along the line of the fence I took several short videos and then combined them into one to show the family together.  They are distant but it is a nice record of them at this young age.

Then the doe decided that the grass was greener in the wood and jumped the fence leaving the kids in the field looking through the fence to see where mum had gone

Elated that I had finally managed to see them I decided to head back.  At the pond there were at least six swallows flying around and dipping into the water for a wash.  This is the first time I have (a) seen that many here and (b) seen them bathing here.  I stopped for awhile and attempted some shots, but the agility and closeness of the birds made it very difficult.

These two shots were not that bad though.

After a short time I realised I had to give it up and I headed home.  In the space of three days I had notched off three of my missing items for this year I mentioned last week, the Holly Blue and the Roe Deer kids, now it just remains to get the Willow Warbler.