A Comfortable Bed

Walking through the quieter parts of the woods this morning and not seeing the group of stags I wondered if they had decided to look for places outside the influence of the east wind. After a couple of days of moderate conditions the return of the harsh winds could suggest that things might be more congenial  elsewhere. It's not a long treck to the western facing slopes and five miles is no great distance to deer. It is after all a major reason for usually preferring  Blacka that it is east facing and offers shelter from the more common north west and west winds. The last month has confounded that. Wherever they had gone it left the place seeming under-occupied apart from the finches and a mistle thrush.

But a movement higher up on Blacka Hill provoked a closer look at the edge of the trees. Hinds had another idea about avoiding the winds. Not just the bank of young birch but bilberry, leggy heather and bracken straw were giving some comfort and protection.