If only you could hear the noise this magnificent beast was making at the time of taking this photograph. I was first attracted by the guttural howls of  this animal from quite a distance away. I can’t claim to be any expert on the behaviour of deer but I am thinking there was some kind of mating ritual going on here. This male was just pouncing around the place howling and growling at almost anything that moved, that included me too. Obviously this was taking using a very long zoom lens, it’s one of the few occasions I have decided not to try to get too close to them.

These particular lads were going about their business in the large expanse in front of the Papal Cross, it’s quite a common area to find them and a lovely place to just sit for hours watching wild animals go about their daily routine. It’s normally a very placid affair, but not on this particular day, as you can see.

I love the sense of action in this photo, a very gentle reminder that these are genuinely wild animals and must be treated with great respect. On a light note I also love the animal in the background with half his antler missing, he almost seems to be saying “Relax my friend, what’s the point in all this activity”, perhaps he enjoys a quieter life and just can’t be bothered with all this running around and mating lark.

This photo was actually found whilst rummaging through my archives, it was taken way back in 2005 on one of my first excursions to the park with a digital camera, a beautiful shiny new Eos Digital Rebel, proof that you don’t have to spend thousands of Euro to take decent photographs.

Enjoy this one, there are lots more wild deer photos to come very very soon.

Please let me know what you think of the photo, I really do appreciate feedback and comments.