Wildlife close to home

This week, for the Lens-Artist’s Challenge, Anne asks us to look at our local wildlife. Well, I’ve been admiring raccoons, coyotes, skunks, kangaroos and other exotica from the posts other bloggers have already contributed, and … I can’t compete.

Still, our local wildlife has charms of its own. Take our own village. Like many round here it has a pond (well, three in our case). Here’s a little showcase of what you’ll find there any time you’re passing.

We have a river nearby too, and a nature reserve too. That means that we see herons often, sometimes egrets.

And Canada Geese. Always Canada Geese.

We can do other birds too. Here’s a small sample:

Here you are: a chaffinch, a raven, a jay and a house sparrow…. and everyone’s favourite ….

… a robin.

In the animal world, here are two creatures we see all too rarely: a toad and a hedgehog. And I haven’t even got any images of badgers or foxes.

I mustn’t forget the omni-present grey squirrel and pheasant.

I can’t leave this though without a couple of pictures of the deer which, though I usually see them in the parkland of Studley Royal, are common enough sights on country walks too.

PS. All these creatures are seen when I’m out walking. I therefore dedicate the robin to Becky and her Walking Squares.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and living in North Yorkshire, where I walk as often as I can, write, volunteer, and travel as often as I can.

82 thoughts on “Wildlife close to home”

  1. Well, that seems a pretty spectacular compilation to me, Margaret! The deer shots are wonderful. I love that antlers in the grass one and the heron and egret is as good as any I’d see here. And the crispest, clearest robin too!

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  2. That robin was a stroke of luck. Posing for a Christmas card, wasn’t he? And I was pleased with the others too – so thanks for the compliments … and have a good weekend.

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    1. Aah. Poor hedgehog. He (she?) was seriously underweight, and ended up being brought back to health by the Rangers at Studley Royal. So let’s hope this has a happy ending.

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  4. Oh, Margaret these are beautiful. I love the Robin but like Jo’s says my eye is drawn the deer one, with their antlers in the grass. A great capture.

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  13. We always think other people’s surroundings are more exotic than our own (you know what they say about familiarity!) but I bet your collection looks pretty amazing to anyone outside Europe! The birds are lovely, especially the robin and chaffinch, the hedgehog cute and the deer rather majestic. I love your semi-abstract antler shadows shot – very clever 🙂

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  14. What a marvellous compilation, Margaret! Love the Robin, good to see herons and egrets, and some great images of the deer!

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  16. I know we’ve commented that our robins are different before. I just can’t picture your robins at all 😀 Margaret, your gallery is spectacular for this week. I so enjoy viewing your photos 😀

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  18. How wonderful to see and enjoy these creatures where you are. Beautiful bird images, especially the Robin! I also love the deer, the male deer image is very cool. Thanks for sharing, Margaret!

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  19. That last photo is like a Scottish painting – it is fabulous. I can claim some of the birdlife, but only ever seen one squirrel here, no hedgehog or deer. A few interesting birds on the estuary, lots of Canada geese or perhaps Brent geese. Not sure now. Saw a little egret on the beach last week, but it was camera shy. And I know we have foxes around here as I am always finding their scat in my parking area at the back 😁

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  20. Great assortment of local wildlife Margaret. I’m totally astonished that you have deer with impressive racks. I guess our males are too young. Lovely birds also. And let’s not forget the frog and hedgehog. Thanks for participating.

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    1. We’re lucky to have so much, only four mikes away from town. And yes, some of our deer are impressive. You must have seen some splendid galleries this week – I must confess I haven’t looked at all of them, but what I have seen have all been interesting.

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  22. Love your gallery, Margaret! And a hedgehog too! The sweet Robin is a treat of course, but the deer are gorgeous. Love the blurred horns as well – well done.

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  27. oh Margaret you have brought tears to my eyes but in a good way. Robert didn’t believe in the after life but the girls and I are finding that birds are either posing for us some days, or an unusual bird appears somewhere – and everytime this happens it feels like he is there. So your Robin is perfect – thank you xx

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  28. Wow Margaret, it seems I’m quite late to the party – what a terrific response to a marvelous post! I loved ALL of your wildlife but like other, the antlers in the grass is my favorite. I also really loved your header with those velvety antlers, and your pheasants which I don’t think I’ve every seen anywhere near us. Terrific response!

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    1. Thanks Tina. Pheasants are specially reared for The Shoot, and considering they weren’t around when brains were being given out, they are astonishingly rarely the victime of a traffic accident. They’re just omnipresent. But yes, they’re handsome. And photogenic.

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  29. You certainly see your fair share of wildlife. I was out today and saw nothing but birds but got a warning from a fellow dog walker that he’d seen a coyote further up the trail from me, put the leash back on my buddy Fern and we finished out hike.

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  33. An impressive collection. My favourites are the hedgehog and the stag. American robins’s breasts aren’t even the same. Our redbreasts are on the orange side of red and theirs are on the brown side, to my eye. Plus theirs are happy in small groups and ours seem more likely to group with a human than another robin unless they’re breeding.

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      1. No. I nearly added that I can’t remember ever seeing one alive in the wild, outside a private garden. Being mainly nocturnal makes it more difficult to spot them, although this one was up early.

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