if you go down to the woods today ...

...I was certainly in for a surprise !!

thanks for the wonderful responses you gave to my robin photos yesterday, you get a rest from them today :)

The day started early for a change. As a go out treat (or probably a bit of a cheat) for me I suggested I would drive Lesley into work and take my walk in a nearby bluebell wood called Commoners Lott. Lesley is only working 1 day per week at pre-school to support just 1 child. It was a lovely morning I didn't meet another person until I was leaving the wood, then at a good distance. I got my bluebell fix and took loads of photos. The woods join onto Morley Hayes GC and a herd of deer share the facilities. I found the deer on the golf course and after crawling on my belly not to spook them got a pic, 2nd extra,  that makes me yearn to get playing again. 

From there I returned into my favourite part of the wood where the main blip was taken. This area isn't used by dog walkers at all and at its edge runs alongside the road. Then my (not so pleasant) surprise; I spotted a deer, lying down ? No, as I got closer it was dead and was horrifically strangled by orange polypropylene cord. The cord looked to be entangled in the thicket and he hadn't been able to get free in what was clearly a painful struggle. But worse, I found the cord continued from the deer along the floor. I traced it all the way to the roadway fence, probably 100m away. It had been tied to the fence and deliberately tightened at head height to snare the deer. What sort of people could do this ?!?! yes I've got a name for them.
I put a less detailed photo as last extra (but please don't look if you prefer not to see) just to bring  attention to how barbaric people can be to animals !  I have emailed the photos to our Wildlife and Heritage Crime Officer.