Week 39 01/10/2014 - Rhody Bashing and Magnificent Stags

Photo Blog Week 39 - Wed 01 October 2014

I find it interesting how patrolling changes when walking with other people. I met a couple of friends at the car park and during the morning walked with them and the dogs and whilst I still spotted litter I lost the instinct to capture views and took no photographs. This did change later so there is still a bountiful supply. I take the pictures very casually and, though you may think not, leave out a lot! Today I have ended up leaving a lot of Red Deer shots,particularly at the end, as I just couldn't decide which to delete. The rut is underway now and the mature stags look amazing.

I arrived in sunshine yet again, but drops of rain threatened during the morning and mid-afternoon the cloud base came in low and misty drizzle soaked the higher reaches of the park closing in the views. I'm sorry some of the later pictures are poor as I hadn't noticed that the damp air had misted up the lens.

If you just like the Red Deer go straight to the bottom of this post.

route: 

Sweet Chestnut fruit, very spiky

 Track out to The Knott. 

The flat area to the right is known as the "Dressage" from when equestrian events were held here.  It is now used as additional parking on busy days.

I would never trust myself but these looked like edible mushrooms.

Four Winds walling team at work

 Lone young stag by The Knott

Cheshire farmland and Alderley Edge from the track winding behind The Knott

 Grasses under the view toward Manchester now turning pale and wintry

 Thistles stand brown and dried. Roof of The Cage just peeking over the hill.

 Along Westpark drive the colours are washing out of the vegetation as we bid summer good bye.

Rhododendron Bashing

 The fires are back around Haze Bank and Pursefield Wood are the rhododendron clearance returns.

"Rhody Bashing" halts from spring to end of summer to avoid any disturbance of nesting birds.

Rhododendron suppress everything, their thick canopy leaves the ground underneath sterile with nothing for flora or fauna and the branches are rarely occupied apart from a rare blackbird. They are an invasive alien species and, though they are beautiful when in flower, they have gradually spread drowning everything in their way.

Clearance will allow the re-establishment of ground plants and woodland leading to re-population by birds, insects and animals. For future generations, more bluebell covered slopes in spring and the sound of birdsong in early summer together with re-established woodland filled with native trees.

As well as Conservation Ranger volunteers groups, the Park also hosts company days out / team building. This group are normally based in offices near Manchester Airport and were thoroughly enjoying getting to grips with bow saws and dragging branches along the hillside to roaring fires. Ranger Craig also got the big kettle going on one of the fires for welcome brews all round.

A very rare find in rhododendron. Probably a blackbird.

Elderberries ripening. (make lovely wine)

Track heading up from Westpark Drive to the meadow below Paddock Cottage

 Larch 'curtains' formed by the handing branch ends

 The clouds heading in look a little threatening.

Glad my waterproof jacket is in my pack

 Rhododendron on South facing slope confused by warm September

 The valley Poynton Brook runs through thick with end of summer vegetation

Wall side track toward Knightslow Wood with Poynton Brook below

 Holly berries on the bank below

 Autumn tints appearing amongst the fading greens

 The 'Impossible Oak'

Knightslow Wood path along Moor side wall

 A gap in the trees revealing the high Park Moor

 Red Deer of the Moor Herd in distance (Centre of wider picture above)

Fungi fest'

Exiting Knightslow Wood at track to the Bowstones

 Heading along bottom of Moor by Hampers Wood, Lantern Pike in the distance looks like an island slicking out of the sea (to me)

 Nature's Artwork: Wooden post worn and weathered.

Fungi fest'

Fungi fest: in Lantern Wood

Low cloud hangs over the view from near top of Lantern Wood

Fungi fest'

 This tree damage is the result of Stags rubbing their antlers. 

This brings home to you what weapons the deer's antlers are. Stag fights during the Rut are sometimes to the death.

Grey clouds over Cage Hill

Smaller trees are sometimes stripped of bark all the way around by the stag antler damage which condemns them to die.

The Lantern

View back to the House from the doorway of The Lantern.

The story goes that the Lord judged whether it was clear enough to go out hunting by how well he could see The Lantern from a window in Lyme Hall.

Weather really closing in now

Red Deer

Most pictures from here on are of Red Deer on Caters Slack and the Deer Sanctuary

Three Hinds spot me on side of Caters Slack

Silhouetted as I look back up to them after passing by

A large group of Hinds with some very young Stags by East Lodge track

Young Stag

Mature stag in the grass behind the group in previous pictures (telephoto)

Apparently the current Stag for these hinds but he may well have to fight to retain his position.

Stag antlers appear above the grass to left of group seen on Caters Stack earlier

Looks like that group of Hinds also had an accompanying mature Stag.

Cloud rolling down the high ground in Derbyshire

 Long lens of Caters Slack Stag now standing with his Hinds

 Fungi fest'

Highland Cattle still in residence at Turfhouse Meadow

 Cheeky Crow using a calf as a convenient perch

Big Daddy

Heading back in past the Archery Field I spotted this lone Stag.

 Magnificent set of antlers.

I definitely counted 17 and possibly 18 tines (spikes of points) on these antlers. This is about the maximum that is ever seen and will only be encountered in a Deer Park where the animals are managed and well fed. In the wilds of Scotland 14 or 15 would be extraordinary.

Emitting a classic roar heard around the time of the rut

A brief bit of action testing and honing antler performance.

Stags will often load up their antlers with grass and bracken, probably to look bigger and more threatening to competitors.

Horse Chestnut autumn gold and the North face of Lyme Hall

Today's track

8.4 miles  5 hr 45 mn