WELCOME, one and all, to Zan’s Wildlife Diary in 2021!

I hope you all had a lovely festive break and enjoyed the recent snow falls. I must say that I loved it and I wish for Musselburgh to get a bit more of this beautiful snowy coverage over the upcoming days.

There is nothing more exciting than watching all the little birds hopping around on the snow!

Some of you may have started this month by writing your New Year’s resolutions and so did I.

Unlike the usual list of everyday life goals, mine relates to wildlife species I would like to photograph this year.

You may be surprised but top of my list is the roe deer. Yes, that is right, the roe deer – one of the most common animals in East Lothian, which occasionally visits your garden if you stay on the outskirts of built-up areas.

I have seen and photographed roe deer on many occasions; however, this year I would like to focus on this species in a bit more depth and produce a portfolio that illustrates this animal in different seasons.

What is so intriguing about the roe deer is their behaviour and appearance both changing throughout the year.

I am totally fascinated by deer antlers which, unlike horns, are shed and regrown each year.

Roe deer males develop relatively short antlers which begin to grow in November and are covered in fur, called ‘velvet’, for the first few months.

Velvet is a special type of skin, which is packed with blood vessels and nerves to supply the antlers with necessary nutrients.

The blood flow in the velvet is crucial in sustaining the healthy antlers; should the velvet get prematurely damaged, the antlers can become deformed.

In spring, when the growth of the antlers is complete, the velvet is rubbed off (bucks scrape their antlers on trees to remove the velvet, which falls off and dies) and the bucks are ready for the breeding season, or rut.

The rutting season of the roe deer occurs between mid-July and mid-August.

During this time, bucks will use their antlers to fight with neighbouring males to take over their territories and the females (called ‘does’) that visit that area. Fights between males can be violent and sometimes lead to serious injury or death.

No matter how tempting it is for a photographer to capture battling deer, it is also incredibly dangerous to come anywhere near these animals during their breeding season.

At this time of the year, bucks are aggressive and can pose a danger to human life.

It is important not to approach these animals but to watch them from the distance and safety of a vehicle.

It is also important not to disturb them at this crucial point in time.

In this season, it is vital for deer to be able to showcase their natural behaviour without any disturbance.

After mating, bucks shed their antlers in October and begin to grow a new set.

Young roe deer (fawns) are born in May and June and stay with their mothers for about 12 months.

This year, I would be particularly delighted to capture fawns on camera as I, like many others, find these animals an appealing subject.

Another interesting aspect that I would like to capture in my photos is the colour of the deer’s coat, which changes throughout the year.

Summer time is when their coat is most distinguishable and turns a bright rusty red colour, while in winter it is dull, almost grey.

If you regularly watch roe deer or know their location and could help gather images, I would like to hear from you!

Speak to you next month.

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