Volunteers

They trample the bracken and help create pathways through it. They eat the young birch saplings and are first to take advantage of the new rowan leaves in spring. Yet still the managers plan to bring on farm animals supposedly to do the same or similar things - although we know it's really to trouser lucrative farm subsidies.

They don't get anything, as far as I know, for the 'work' done by deer which is doubtless why the managers plan to manage (i.e.cull) the deer - perfectly crackers if you're also bringing on cows unless it's just to keep the cash rolling in.. So many things that are done by man are done copycat fashion, 'because it's what's done.' Rightness or reasonableness has got nothing to do with it.

Here the deer have volunteered to manage the bramble unpaid. While the oldest looks on, supervising, the youngsters are taking advantage of the remaining green leaves.

But his own appetite gets the better of him.

I've referred before to this stag as having 16 points and had previously counted 8 on one side and simply doubled the number. Now I'm wondering if we should say 15 points as I can only see 7 on his left side. Even examining photographs is not easy; there are some that just branch at the very end.

More pictures taken recently.