Chiltern Hills, Deer and Red Kytes

Last summer we went walking on the Chiltern Hills, intending to see Red Kite, there are quite a few now. This flock were re-introduced some 10 years ago by the recluse millionaire Paul Gettie, who lived up there. At the start there were only one or two pairs. It is a success story. The Kites are now as far west as Oxford, and are spreading all along the Chiltern's.

Any way we were sat watching a parent chasing off one of its young, when about 20-40 feet away three deer pop up over the steep rise. Sandra saw them first, nudged me, and then said "look". I turned just in time to see them stop in their tracks, pull their heads upright, then cocked their heads over to one side, weighing us up. Then in blink they turned and bounded away. By the time we had got to our feet, and walk 20 feet to see over the rise, they had gone 1/4 mile, down and were starting up the other side of the valley.

As the following day was also good weather, we went again, this time armed with cameras and binoculars.

Well this is the valley.

We saw two doe with young, and then way over to right a herd of 20 came out of the woods and grazed in the sun for over 1/2 hour. They were over a mile away, and the zoom on my camera was going out of focus at this range. But I guess you can get an impression for this images.

It was a remarkable day, warm sunny and relaxing. The pictures we got of the Kites were too small, mainly sky, but we will try again. Hope you enjoy the pictures of the green green grass of England.