Late afteroon at Gunton

 Friday October 30

In ever worsening mid afternoon light, we drove to Gunton Park, north of North Walsham. We have always driven into the estate via the archway, several warning signs stating that the road is private have appeared. Our original entry was via the fisherman's gate, that is now heavily padlocked and only open to those who have a key. Yet another spot that has become unavailable.

One Great Crested Grebe on the lake, several Mallard and Coot is all I saw before we quickly left.  Along the minor road leading back to the main N Walsham road, we stopped to view the stream outlet from the lake, reminiscing about Kingfishers and Grey Wagtails seen here. A deer herd was also mentioned, previously seen by us in an adjoining field to the fishing lake and 19C thatch and wood sawmill. The field is visible from the road - through a hedge and a wire fence. When I used my binoculars, I could see a few deer showing at the back of an apparently empty field. Typical of estates, the pasture is dotted by large well-shaped trees. A concentrated search revealed more deer. A small group of hinds, and this young stag, chewing the cud under a conifer.

The beast had Red Deer like antlers with dappled hindquarters. Strange.

 

Trying to focus on this deer, we noticed a male Red Deer sporting the largest antlers of any deer I have seen in the wild - or estate. 

 

Immensely cropped, this is the best I could manage in the circumstances. With his head held high, sniffing the air, one doesn't get the most impressive view of the antlers. Count the points.

 

Three Fallow deer stags photo-bombed, passing pedestrians must have startled them into flight. 

 

I received the results of my Covid test earlier this week. Free from.... as I suspected. I must have done it right. This test does not pick up antibodies.