Fallow deer

Posted by Amanda on Jan 23, 2011 in Blog, Wildlife and weather | 0 comments

I was sorting through photos taken over the Christmas holidays and came across this one of a herd of Fallow deer – Dama-dama.  Fallow deer were introduced by the Romans and wild herds still live in wooden parts of southern England.   It was taken on 28 December 2010 as we drove up for a walk on Ivinghoe Beacon in the Chiltern Hills.

We were driving up towards the ridge with the lead deer running along side us. I’d never seen such a big herd before – there were nine of them. Unlike their usual markings of brown with white spots, most fallow deer loose their white spots in winter and these ones showed up easily in the open snow-covered landscape.

We slowed and stopped so as not to frighten them, then watched as the lead deer looked back to make sure the last animal had caught up before taking the herd across the road in front of us.  It was quite a spectacle and something I am so pleased to have seen.