Tag Archives: Stags in Velvet

Natural History

Stag coming out of ‘velvet’

New Antlers! Strips of ‘velvet’ – the layer of skin that (astonishingly rapidly) develops the antlers, from nothing each year – are hanging from the tines. The deer are today in small groups, quite unlike the massed winter herds. The stags are still sitting unconcernedly with the hinds and other stags, but evidently not for much longer. Soon it’ll be the rutting season.

At the Beverley Brook, we were lucky enough – it was quiet enough – to come close to a Heron, fishing in the stream; and just at that moment, a Kingfisher darted up-river, brilliant turquoise, heartstoppingly beautiful. It landed on a willow branch above the water: such a small bird, such perfect colours.

‘Common’ Blue butterfly in the wide meadows of Richmond Park