Groups and Individuals

Rooks and Daws are marvellous examples of the balance struck between individual ambition and the value of belonging to a group. Off they go westwards in the morning sometimes in great numbers and other times just in twos and fours. What fascinates is the way the groups change in mid air; there is always at least one bird trying to outdo the others and show that he can be leader, or another that dives off to take a different route absolutely confident that the rest will follow - and they often do.

There's much scope here for seeing a mirror to human society. Watching a rookery you can often find that the birds are tumbling over each other with one climbing within an airborn tower until he's achieved his goal of being top bird.

Yesterday's gales gave another chance to test one's judgement. Where would you be most likely to find deer? Sure enough the big stag was in one of the most sheltered spots.
He was alone, once more stimulating thoughts about competitiveness and collectivism. If the rutting has run its course the hinds will be for the most part staying in single sex groups but the dominant stag often stays solitary for a while before eventually making common cause with his rivals during the winter.

Once he saw us he made as if to move off but thought better of it and decided to lie down in the bracken. Another reminder of just how they see the bracken as a refuge. Did he forget that his antlers remained visible or did he calculate that they would easily blend in with the twigs and branches beyond?