ROE DEER AND A SURPRISE GUEST

Roe deer buck to the left, eagle owl to the right!

I was guiding some friend clients who were after the mysterious and beautiful woodcock when in the distance we came across this roe dee buck (Capreolus capreolus). Feeling secure in the distance, he stared at us calculating how dangerous we were until he thought it was about time for him to leave springing as elegantly as always, but this time, nature had left the fireworks for the end, like on the best celebrations: suddenly, a magnificent Eagle Owl(Bubo bubo) came out from the nearby trees and silently flew on to a nearby little forest.  It´s late January, and this owl and it´s couple have been seen around this area quite a few times lately (in fact we had just seen it's couple a few minutes ago) so I guess it's time to stop visiting this area for a few weeks as it seems they have chosen it to nest (if you could call nesting when they lay eggs on the bare floor, as they usualy do). They only have to worry about two neighbours which I know live quite close; Mr. Fox and his probably new born family and Mrs. Golden Eagle, who I saw seven days after searching for prays in the same place.

I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Owl would have loved to find woodcocks too, but at least this morning it was our turn, being able to find five of them thanks to the briliant job the dogs did. After we have captured two of them, the rest were just flushed away from their hiding places in the bushes to fulfill the dogs passion for this bird.  

So, since our winged friends are entering either their crazy love days like the owls, or ready to pack their suitcases to migrate to the cold North like the woodcocks, I have decided to stop woodcocking until next season. Woodcocks need to gain stregth for their migration and owls need tranquility. Always know when to stop bothering and nature will thank you next time, that's for sure!

Being blocked by the pointer dogs, this woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) is about to spring after its hiding place has been discovered.