Oh deer!

The most incredible thing today. Felt so privileged in a way and yet so pissed off with myself in another. An opportunity missed. It started with going down to the train station. Once again back to getting trackside. That is a wee bit from the platform. The length of the small car park away. Just so exhausted. Fatigue is really bad and it was a struggle. A lot of discomfort in the chest. The body shaky with lack of energy. Breathlessness. Felt grey. Dried up. Just ready to collapse. So I didn't stay long. Wanted to go back home regardless of the small distance. I head back through the woodland path home.

When on that path I stopped for reasons I don't know. I ventured into the woodland. I guess I was looking to take a photo of something. Camera in hand I slowly moved looking for anything to take a photo of. Its not something I was comfortable with. People pass by at times having coming off a train or going to meet one. The other day I stumbled upon a man down there seemingly doing some work but he was not a council worker so no idea what he was doing. Anyway there in front of me almost immediately was a robin. Sitting on a fence post perfectly lit. Its not great light there as there are so many big trees but the light had cut through and was lighting this robin perfectly. And of course as soon as I raised the camera it flew off. There are all sorts of birds down there. I see a beautiful looking little bird that moves quickly and constantly. Probably a tit of some sort but I am no expert. It has blue and yellow and is small. One was sitting on another fence post down there a few days ago and also flew off as I raised the camera.

Anyway the disappointment of not getting yet another shot soon evaporated as a disturbance erupted to me left. I should explain where I was is all greenery but in the middle it drops to what at least smells like a sewer so there is a divide. This disturbance was on the other side. At first I was startled when I looked and saw something bigger than a dig crashing through the woodland. To be honest I panicked. Stupid me thought big wild cat or something and me here alone- time to hide! Then I realised what it was at it hurtled forward again. A deer. And then I realised there was barking. A little black ankle biter of a dog chasing it. The camera was out. Snap, snap and snap again. On full zoom- doh! I had been just about to take a photo of something on full zoom. In a dimly lit place trying to catch movement its not a good idea to have full zoom. I watched the chase knowing the little dog was just wanting a play and was no danger to the deer. I was not thinking straight though. I felt a fantastic opportunit coming. The path to the train station is the only place the deer could go and as expected it bounded on to that. I thought was still inside the woodland. I saw it run along the path. I readed the camera for a fantastic shot as it ran past me.

Except it didn't. It cut off the path just because crossing me and headed up on to the train tracks. A train had just left the station. The deer though made it across in plenty of time. By this time I was back out on the path snapping furiously and catching, as it turned out, only blurred green and brown images. I stood there looking where the deer had been frustrated. The little dog came out and joined me. It looked more pleased with itself, gave me a look and then disappeared back the way it had came.

It was only later I realised that all I would have had to do was hit the movie button on my camera and I could have recorded the whole thing while still taking photos. What an idiot! I have no proof at all so the pic above is the only reminder. Clear enough but of course no deer as it was hidden at that point by the green. So disappointed with myself.

Oh deer!