Sika deer

I got out of the habit of cycling this winter, but decided to get back on the saddle this evening. After a few minutes I remembered one reason why I stopped cycling: the rear wheel is so misshapen it makes the frame of the bike twitch disconcertingly when freewheeling.

Anyway I made it to West Knighton Heath (only about four miles) without mishap and enjoyed a sunset walk through the gravel workings. I like the way the habitat keeps changing at active gravel pits. Every time they work in a new area I think they are ruining it for wildlife, then realise they are just creating another different habitat.

There are sika deer cervus nipponhere, and in the evenings they come out to feed in the open. Sika are similar to red deer but much smaller. They are darker and have a whiter rump patch than the other deer that is common round us - the roe deer. Sika are not originally native to the UK, they were introduced from the far east in the 19th century.