Shopping trip

Not a sight to see on a shopping trip but who knows what you may come across during lockdown. These fallow deer were quite happily feeding just a few metres from the road side which was unfenced. It is not an uncommon site where I live but normally they would scamper off into the trees.

This one was waiting for the arrival of his new antlers.  We have all the colour varieties here in Sussex from almost black to white.
 

Fox story

A few years ago I was doing my usual patrol of my local nature reserve with my camera when I came across this young fox. I soon realised by its behaviour that it had ventured out of it den and could not find its way back. Being black in colour told me that it was too young to be out on its own and knowing where its den was I picked it up and put it back in the entrance and watched it quickly disappear.

 

Several months later walking the same route I came across this young fox. It was startled at first and then settled down and watched me. It was then that I realised that it was the youngster that I had met before and it had recognised me as a friend.

I was able to get quite close to it and get these photographs. I met with it on lots of occasions after that and it just ignored me and often just walked past me giving me just a glance in recognition.

This behaviour I refer to as trust, the animal knows that I am somebody that will not harm it or worry it. I am a fellow creature that is no threat to it.
 

A badgers trust

About twelve years ago a friend learned of my thoughts on animals trust in humans. He invited me to his home one very wet evening to prove my point. He often left food out for a local badger so I sat on his verander at the top of the steps leading down into his garden. He put some bits and pieces in a bowl and placed it at the bottom of the steps. I sat for no more than 10 minutes before a badger appeared out of the shrubbery saw me and wandered towards me.

Totally ignoring me it tucked into the food occasionally glancing in my direction, I was sitting no more than 2m away from it.

As you can see I was using flash which did not bother it in the least

It looked towards me several times but continued to enjoy his meal.

I had never seen this badger before and yet it was quite comfortable in my presence. When it had finished it just looked up at me and wandered off.

My thanks to the late great Mike Hall, a true friend, for this wonderful experience.