Winter walk at Cottesbrooke

Here's a Christmas gift! An overly long video with some lovely images and a very dull soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9sjiTuCMFc

I sat with Aulus, and while I was there a bird very nearly flew into the side of my head. Afterwards, as you saw in the video, I saw this huge white thing in a field... and then realised it was a swan. The size seemed exaggerated by the bird's position. I thought there was a second, mainly hidden, so I thought this was the pair from the little pond. But when I got to the pond a single swan was there. I don't know if this means that one is alone?

Then I saw the sheep in the field. I squatted down and they came over. A brave black one sniffed me, but I had cuddled someone's four huge dogs (they were really huge: one weights 75kg!!!) and the smell of dog... or perhaps human... or both... was distressing and they all huddled up a little way off. But when I walked on they followed for a while on the other side of the hedge.

The deer is a roe doe. I had seen roe prints earlier. On which, they are planning to shoot deer at the Reserve. I am ambivalent, a term that suggests disinterest, but rather should imply quite strong feelings on both sides. Anyway, the shooters came and said, "Oh it's mainly roe, not muntjac. We've seen many roe prints." Now, I have seen roe a few times at the Reserve but the muntjacs are omnipresent. I look at tracks, and I see countless muntjac, and don't believe I have noticed a roe's slot (as they are called). I am sure they know better... well, no, I am not sure. In fact, I think it might be absolute clap-trap.