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Roe Deer

A brisk cold but bright day after early snow. There has been little in the way of birds but walking along Bunn's Lane where it zig zags towards White End two roe deer suddenly ran across the field in front of me. The white rumps were clearly visible as they bounded across the stubble. By the time that I reached the next leg of the lane where they were headed there was naturally no sign of them. What was striking was the way that dog walkers have vanished with the cold weather. Walking for over an hour I didn't see another person on foot or horseback until I reentered Ley Hill.

This is the first clear view that I have had of roe deer here although as I have remarked before I have probably dismissed brief glimpses while driving as muntjac.

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