Frosty Misty and Sunny

We walked at Fritham this morning. On the top it was sunny with just a little frost and iced over puddles. but down in the little valleys we could see the mist. We walked down into the mist to the little stream known as Dockens Water and then back to the top and down the other side. We saw fallow bucks on both sides in the distance. It was magical walking in and out of the mist , but so hard to capture on camera.

Trees through the Mist


Reflections in Dockens Water

I wonder what they are whispering about

Mist in the valley

Another beautiful Sunny Morning for our walk at Fritham . We went down through the woods and although we looked and listened we didn't see or hear any deer. We did see plenty of signs of yesterdays drag hunt and in places the path was very churned up and muddy


The colours are beautiful and the sun really shows them up

Missy poses for her photo

Raffles catches a few rays and then driving home we admired the autumn colours on the trees.

Deer and Kingfishers

This morning we went for an early morning walk to see if we could spot the Fallow deer rutting. We were very lucky and saw half a dozen bucks. A few were roaring but the rut does seem to be late this year. They still do not seem to be in full Rut mode yet. It was a beautiful autumnal morning. It was quite cold when we started at 8am but really warm when we got back to the car at11am later in the afternoon we went down to the nature reserve and once again we saw the kingfisher. He came and sat on the perching pole with a fish for his supper. On our way home we visited the other two viewing areas and saw him again . Just after I took this photo he dived and flew of with another fish for his supper. I am finding him easier to spot now and look forward to seeing him on our visits/

Its not a smear on the lens thats his breath in the cold Morning air!

This Buck was sunbathing

This ones got his girl

I think he's spotted us!

The kingfisher was a little to far away but he had a big fish in his beak

A Day in the Life.....

Catherine and Stephen came to stay overnight as Catherine wanted to look round Southampton University Campus and see if she might want to apply for next year. So first we walked the dogs at Busketts and then drove into Southampton.
After dropping Catherine at the University we walked around part of the walls of Southampton. This is the Tudor Merchants House and part of the City walls.

Then we went onto the Quay and had a good view of the Cruise Ship the Navigator of the Sea, She is enormous. Apparently amongst other things she has a Rock climbing wall, Ice Rink, 9 hole mini golf course and a whole parade of shops.
We then picked Catherine up and had lunch before they set off for home.

We took the dogs for another walk in the Forest at Fritham. We saw this Buck and we heard several others calling

Autumn walk at Fritham

This Buck was resting in the trees, he is preparing for the rut.

It was a beautiful Autumnal day today. We went for a walk at Fritham. The sun was shining , the sky was blue.
The Ponies were drining from a small pond and we could see a Fallow Buck in the distance, they are not roaring yet and it looks as if the rut will be lat this year. Later we saw this Buck in the trees, alas I chopped his antlers off.

Autumn Sunshine at Fritham

Today was one of those beautiful Autumnal days. The sun was shining and by the end of our walk we were really rather warm. We went to Fritham and we hadn't been walking for long before we saw our first Fallow Bucks as they ran across the path. We saw several groups of them , but as yet they are not roaring, just checking out the rutting stands. They are so majestic with their big antlers. We were so busy watching the deer and controlling the dogs, who were all on long leads to prevent them from disturbing the deer that we walked into a smelly Bog....poor karen wasn't wearing wellies!

Raffles has a splash

Fallow deer in the distance at Fritham and below Missy plays hide and seek in the heather.

Fallow deer seen on our walk at Fritham this morning.

Early Morning at Fritham

We walked at Fritham this morning. The sun came out and then went behind the clouds and for a while we thought it might rain, but after a while the sun appeared again.We were hoping to see some deer and for a while we were disappointed but then up on the slope we saw a herd watching us and we were able to observe them for quite a while before they finally skipped off.
After the deer had gone we looked down at the ground and saw a large clump of Orchids , so we took some more photos
Before we went home we decided to have a quick look at Cadman's pond.......still no goslings and I really do not think there will be any now. There was a new family of ducks, very young and not coming too close to the bank.We also saw a couple of moorhen chicks scooting over the water.

On Fritham Green
Bogbean

Three dogs
Bridge over Dockens water

We were being watched by a group of Fallow deer!

The Sun Shone again

When we left home this morning it was very misty. As we drove down to Fritham carpark we met a group of Shetland Ponies in the road and they had a couple of foals with them. Shetlands are so small and the foals are so cute.
We decided to go down to Dockens Water and see if the Iris's were blooming and we were lucky to see several clumps. On the way to the stream we passed some beautiful spiders webs. At this stage it was still very misty and I wasn't sure if they would show up in the photos. By the time we reached the stream the mist was burning off and it was a very warm morning. We saw some deer in the distance as we strolled back up the hill towards the car park.
As it was still early we decided to have a detour to Cadman's pond on the way home. When we arrived we were the only car there and all the ducks and geese were disappointed because we hadn't brought them any food. However another car soon came with some people willing to feed them and we took lots of photos. The little ducks are almost fully grown and now look like the adult females. As yet there are still no goslings and I am wondering if there will be any this year.

Spiders Web
Yellow iris
Looking back at Fritham

Foals at Fritham

The foals are everywhere in the forest now.Below we have a meeting of the Fritham mar and foal group. There are three foals in the shot and , there were two more near by.

The Sunny weather continues

We walked at Fritham this morning. It was another beautiful sunny day. After such a wet winter it is surprising how quickly the little streams are drying up.Just before we reached the strem we saw a heron flying and later we heard the cuckoo for the first time.When we go back to the top on Fritham green we saw another foal, this time a little girl. I stayed back with the dogs so karen had a chance to get some photos , without disturbing Mother and daughter.

Todays foal was at Fritham

I love their cute little tails

Karen gets nearer to take some photos, she was very pleased we found a foal as this is the first time she has been with me when we have seen one. I stayed back with the dogs so she could snap away.