Knepp

 Today we had a walk around the Knepp Estate, haven't been for a while, they have rerouted the pathways which seems to take you further away from the Storks. It's a little confusing with all the different routes, but we followed the Red Route, but took a short cut using the public footpaths that cut across the Estate so didn't have to do the bit around Shipley, still walked over 6 miles mind.😂😀😱 We were also confused when a White Route appeared out of nowhere, not on the map!! We surmised it was for the people camping but it was a bit strange!! Margie and I had our usual wrangling, where Margie says we should go one way (the wrong way) and I suggest the correct route. It usual ends with Margie admitting she has zero sense of direction and we go my way😁😁😁😁 Today was no exception to that rule! 😂 She completely redeemed herself though by finding by sound, the first Turtle Dove I've heard or seen for two years!!! She reckons she's not a birder!!😏😊 It was by far the highlight of the walk, lots of young birds about and obviously the deranged beasts that are trying to kill me are lurking around every corner, though we got away with only  a couple of near death experiences😂😂😱😱😱😱 The Pig with her Piglets was cute as well as capable of killing me!!

An interesting sighting was a Slowworm in the middle of the path, which may or not have been dead!! It didn't move, but there were no obvious signs of injury and a bit of googling suggests they can play dead and I'm choosing to believe that's what it was doing. We finished at the shop where I spent £46 on stuff we don't need (mainly Cheese, Sausages and Chocolate) Yeah who am I kidding they are the essentials😁!! An enjoyable 5 hours though neither Margie or I maybe able to walk in the morning!!! Some of mine and Margie's pics below, all the landscape ones are hers and some of the livestock as well!! I'm pretty pleased with the Turtle Dove ones and played Margie at her own game with a Hoverfly in a Dog Rose shot!!

Knepp vista, trouble ahead

Fallow Deer, quite posy though I was shooting through a hedge, using my legendary fieldcraft!

Having a scratch

Raspberry!!

Think they may have seen me!!

Botheration!

Nice setting

Beautiful Demoiselle

Fledgling Mistle Thrush, thought it was a Cuckoo to start with! didn't see or hear any Cuckoos today

Fledgling Blue Tit

Baby Coots 

Stock Dove several about

Great Crested Grebe

Dumping the humbugs back into the water

Common Whitethroat telling everyone he's about

Shipley Windmill

Slowworm, maybe dead, maybe not?

Chiffchaff 

Hoverfly in a Dog Rose

Not 100% sure but thought it was a Pig behind the deer, but not sure now!

Pig with Piglets, difficult viewing and we didn't want to get too close in case we disturbed them, nothing to do with not wanting to be chased by a half a tonne of irate Mother Pig!😱

White Stork, saw several flying with eight in the air together a high count, but none came very close

Big old nests they build

Think the bell is to give you a heads up when they charge!

This one tried to sneak up behind a tree!

Got the death stare from this one

Fallow Deer saw several dark ones but no white ones which I've seen in other herds

Fallow Buck in Velvet

Turtle Dove, Margie heard it from about 200 yards and I managed to spot it the oak tree!

Purring

Did spend most of time showing me it's arse!

Fancy Pose

What you looking at!

Margie spotted some shy deer

But they came out for her in the end

Lots of dead wood on the estate, good for so many species

Foxgloves lots in the woody bits

Margie's picture of the Slowworm still can't tell 

Margie's attempt at the Tamworths 

More trouble!

This one looks like it's been through the Mill

Mother and Calf, don't get between em!

Think Margie's captured it's cuteness but don't be fooled!

In reality the cattle are really docile, but I still feel on edge when they are near the Path especially in an enclosed area, but survived another day whoop!!!!! Good day all in all, we heard a couple of Nightingales, Garden Warbler and several Blackcaps, the Storks are always impressive  but nothing topped the Turtle Dove!!!!!