With Mum

This year will be the tenth anniversary of red deer appearing on Blacka and it is worth reminding ourselves what it is that has attracted them to our favourite place when other parts of the local landscape are not so blessed. In fact deer like just those features that appeal to us, the informal, unplanned and unpredictable aspects that we value so highly and which are under threat from the obsessive interventionists, they are the elements that have attracted these animals. Should that be a surprise? Is it really to be considered remarkable that wild animals prefer wild land? 

However much money has been invested in printing ink and press releases by the conservation and farming industries to proclaim the opposite they will never persuade a sceptical public that management, meddling farming and interfering are better for wildlife.

The last twelve months has established the deer on the site to a greater degree, somewhat helped when those appalling cattle were removed in August, having the effect of giving the deer freer rein with the space to themselves. A bonus was the delight of seeing young deer and watching them grow. Once again this morning the calves were keeping close to the hinds in a moderate sized group.