The end of November has been fairly quiet for wildlife close to home. One reason is probably that I’m out before dawn so at times it’s too dark to see much about! I’ve been over Hambledon Hill, across to Bere Marsh and closer to home round Netmead field.
It was very quiet on Hambledon Hill, one or two small birds around but difficult to identify. I did see a Fox in the basin of the hill at a distance, which was a nice surprise.
I saw a little more of interest on my walk down to Bere Marsh Farm. As I headed towards New Cross quite a few birds flew up from the dead trees where they had been roosting and I realised they were Redwings. As I headed into the fields on the Bridleway I spotted a Buzzard being hounded by some Crows. There was also three Roe Deer grazing at the edge of Davey’s coppice.




On the way back near the farm buildings there was a lot of action in a particular tree, they were some distance off so I took a photo to identify at home and there were Goldfinches, House Sparrows and Redwings. A little farther I spotted a bird I was looking towards the light so had to overexpose the image to get the bird and it was a Greenfinch.


Another morning and walk round Netmead again quiet and down to the time of day but there was a Roe Deer doe watching me a little distance away, they blend in so well with the undergrowth, one time I was watching a deer a little way off and suddenly spotted a Roe doe and young watching me from a few feet away, very special.

As I walked the edge of the river hoping I would spot something interesting there was a Roe Buck on the other side of the river on the slope going up to the burial ground, he stood and watched us before going up the slope and meeting a doe.


The Dunnocks always seem happy to pose on top of the hedge and that’s all I saw along the hedgerow that particular morning.

