A Chinese Visitor

Our back garden looks out across a large field which is, this year, down to winter wheat. At the height it has now reached it is usually empty of life except for the occasional uncontrolled dog, but last night we spotted something moving in it

It was a Chinese water deer, a species which we've seen once before but never as close to human habitation.

The animal is taking a risk as the field is bounded on one side by public football fields, much used by dog walkers, and on two sides by footpaths, so it wasn't surprising that....

....the animal was constantly interrupting its enjoyment of the farmer's wheat to look around.

While we were watching it a dog walker passed quite close. The deer's reaction was to bob down until the danger had passed before resuming its meal.

A close look at the pictures suggests that the deer has an injury on its right flank, perhaps the result of an encounter with a large dog.

This wasn't quite as exciting as watching buck from the Saadani hide but it's good to see wildlife venturing close to human habitation. Certainly, its visit gave us some pleasure.