A selection of Wildlife Images from the Exmoor Red Deer Rut 2018

This is a Small collection of images from my recent trip to Exmoor for the Rut..

Although they are rather limited this year due to time with the family and the lack of Red Deer from legal and illegal shooting, it was still very enjoyable.

These Red Deer are not habituated mammals, they are truly wild and take a great deal of time and patience to get close too, but the thrill of stalking and being accepted is more of a reward than a picture

Kestrel 

Kestrel Hunting

Red Deer Hind

Red Deer Stag

Royal Red Deer Stag

Early Morning Red Deer Stag

A Selection of Local Specialist Meat Eaters!!

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Kestrel on the hunt for a Slow Worm

Buzzard on Watch from a decent vantage point!

A pair of Merlins, not often seen, especially two!!
( Falco columbarius)

My Resident Sparrow Hawk
( Accipiter nisus)

A Young Peregrine Falcon
(Falco peregrinus)

Buzzard on bits of a young Rabbit
( Buteo buteo)

A Lovely Hobby Resting after dismembering Dragonflies
( Falco subbuteo)

The weathers been a little on the wet and windy side, so I thought I might brighten up the mood with a few old pictures of some local raptors.

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Kestrels having a Fight on Exmoor, talons were locked for quite a time until one gave up and flew off

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Kestrel Preps for take Off!!

Kestrel ( Falco tinnunculus )

Diving for a Slow Worm

Where's my Lunch!!!

I'm behind you Mr Kestrel :)