The Deer Rut

An early start this morning, a quick cup of coffee and then a 45 minute drive before arriving at Harewood estate, North of Leeds. The plan was to get some photos of the red deer stags in the morning light, hopefully with some mist in the air. However it was throwing it down, with no colour in the sky and no mist to be seen. I parked up at the Muddy Boots cafe and walked on the lane into the estate, and I could hear the stags roaring from about a mile away. I approached the deer field and there were dozens of stags running around but a very large one blocking my path so I couldn’t get much further. On the way back to the car I saw a group of Fallow Deer in the woods but it was too dark and my images were a bit grainy.

By the time I got back to the car, the cafe was open so a full English breakfast was the order of the day. After an excellent breakfast I found another footpath further North where I came across a group of Red Kites and just about managed to get one decent shot. I also saw a tree creeper and a Nuthatch but the heavens were opening and my camera was getting soaked, so I reluctantly returned back to the car and headed home.

Well worth a visit and Harewood is much closer than my usual deer location in the Lakes, and I’ll definitely be going back there soon.