Sitting still is the most crucial criterion when observing animals in the wild. Camouflage clothing fools no one except people and stalking is a non-starter as it is movement that gives away the position of animals and watchers alike. Not even the best stalker can get within three or four metres of a deer or a hare, but sit still and the animals will come to you.

I set up my camping stool in front of a tree at the edge of a wood where I know the animals will be after having observed them at a distance through binoculars over a long period of time. Most animals are creatures of habit and follow a set routine depending on the time of the year. I place my camera on its tripod in front of me and sit and wait, usually until after dusk. I have had fallow deer walk within five metres of me and a fawn come up to me almost within touching distance. I don’t know what this indicates about the hazard warning given by their acute sense of smell; perhaps I don’t smell. Only weeks ago, the last in August, I was sitting watching the pigeons standing on the overhead power lines and wondering why they didn’t electrocute themselves and disappear in a puff of smoke. When I eventually glanced down there was a hare sitting right in front of my camera curiously admiring me as I thought, but no, just to my right almost within touching distance was its leveret. It was this juvenile, not me, that was its concern.

There was more excitement that evening when I spotted two hares about a 100 yards away and coming in my direction. They ended up in front of my camera, where they proceeded to feed for at least a quarter of an hour while I took photographs. They were not bothered even when I moved slightly to adjust the camera but one did look up fleetingly when my chair squeaked.

To cap the evening, for a reason best known to itself, a fallow deer came onto the field at dusk and proceeded to chase the hares off the field before settling down to graze for its supper.

I often sit at one end of a deer track that crosses the field. On several consecutive evenings at dusk (7.30 pm) a male muntjac has appeared at the far end and walked the path until it stood right in front of me, gave me a curious look and then disappeared into the wood behind me. One evening he was accompanied by a juvenile, which was curious as I thought it would have been accompanied by its mother. While the adult walked by me without so much as a glance, junior was much more inquisitive and stopped and gave me the once over before deciding I wasn’t good news and went, fast.

Not all visitors are welcome. During the winter months the fallow deer herd grazes on the field until the middle of the afternoon (4 pm) when they re-enter the wood. This appears to be rather a ceremonial affair like changing the guard at the palace.

While grazing the deer spread out across the field only coming together if there is impending danger or it is time to leave, when they congregate opposite one of the special places where they enter and leave the wood. How deer communicate between each other is not known by me but communicate they do. Much marching and counter marching now takes place as the deer move between the ranks of the congregated herd, getting more fidgety and agitated as they go. At a given command (who gives it I know not) the herd turns and faces the entrance and begins to move slowly towards it. Then a specially selected doe is chosen to lead the herd. As she approaches the wood, if she senses danger, she veers off to the right and runs back into the field signalling to the herd that all is not well and they retreat to try again later. If all is well the leading doe stops at the entrance for quite a few minutes before moving into the wood and the rest follow.

I wanted to photograph this ritual so I set up my camera about three hours before the event and waited. The show was just about to begin when two ladies of late years dressed in all their finery got out of the car so they could take pictures of the deer with their little compact camera. They minced into the field (trespassing but no one these days cares about that) passed me and on towards the deer. The deer looked up, their heads went back and I swear a look of incredulity swept across their faces before they ran. So ended my three hour vigil. I tried again on another day and the picture is shown below.

And now I have the problem of trespass. The wood is private but people will wander in and out occasionally and if it is pointed out that they are trespassing they usually leave. Now we have a person who is going to trespass come what may and it seems nothing can be done about it.