British Countryside Animals : Fallow Deer : Knole Park

British Countryside Animals : Fallow Deer

This medium-sized deer is easily recognizable by its white spots; most deer grow out of their spots but the fallow deer keep theirs.

This Fallow is a female deer, and one who looks like she might have a fawn over the next couple of weeks; being June, it is the normal time of year for such expectations.

She grazed nearby for over an hour, occasionally looking up to check what I was up to, but I wasn't up to much - just watching her, in-between taking a view of the woodland spring flowers and grasses that were growing with such energy. A nearby fallen tree was surrounded by foxgloves that created a pretty background to this deer as she wandered about, pausing here and there to nibble on some apparently tasty tufts of grass.

British Countryside Animals : Fallow Deer Kent Knowle Park

British Countryside Animals : Fallow Deer : Knole Park Kent

This deer is one of a herd at Knole Deer Park in Sevenoaks, a Site of Special Scientific Interest owned by the National Trust and set within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that stretches from the borders of London and Surrey to the Sussex Coast of Dover.

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Closer to home, small deer quietly roam the local ancient woods and fields but are seldom spotted; suggestions of shadowy movements can occasionally be seen passing between the trees. It was a treat, one day, to get a clear view of a Muntjac deer who ran out from the local woods and into a nearby large garden, that was filled with shrubs and shady spots. Many gardens have their wildlife visitors, if not deer; leaving a few wild patches and providing areas of shelter, water and food supply may help encourage not only the countryside animals and birds to visit but even, perhaps, to take up refuge. The deer that ran into the garden certainly looked like it knew where it was going!

More surprising was news that a young Roe deer had visited a local pub as recently as a couple of years ago, having run out from the woods, down the road and into the pub lounge!

There's a chance yet that I might spot a deer in the garden one day - but until then I will look out for the wild deer in the local countryside and woods. Knole Deer Park is a great local place to walk amongst the deer and the British Wildlife Centre is another favourite for observing, making studies of the deer and painting them, along with a few of the other countryside animals of Britain and British birds that can to be spotted there.

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British Wildlife Artist Writer Illustrator

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