Don’t bark at me, deer
I’m in Lincoln today and just heading off for a brief visit to Whisby, a park with the possibility of some water birds. As I drive I can’t say I’m distracted, but I do see a group of beautiful, small, elegant, reddish deer in the field next to me. I park and get the camera out of the boot, hoping they’ll still be there. And they are:
Their white bottoms are such a strong visual signal.
So are the horns on this one:
Those horns have quite a story to tell. They are Roe Deer, Capreolus capreolus. I wish I had ears which could turn in the direction of any sound like this female:
This one is barking at something. Why do they bark? Nobody really knows but they may bark in alarm, to deter pursuit or to enforce territory. Here’s the science: Contexts and possible functions of barking in roe deer
Don’t bark at me, deer.
I’m so delighted I’ve seen them. Anything else I see will be a bonus.