The 'Beast' of Frimley

It was 7:30am on Tuesday morning, raining heavily, and I was hurrying along the path through the woods between Farnborough North station and Frimley, on my way to work. I was having to duck down every now and again to avoid snagging my umbrella in the overhanging branches that the rain had brought lower. Then, up ahead of me, through the rain and gloom I saw a low dark shape crossing the path and disappearing down the bank of the river Blackwater. My first thought was that it must be a deer, but the figure seemed too long and low, more like a big cat, a panther. I approached as quietly as I could, and peered down the bank, but there was nothing there. It must have waded across the river to the dense undergrowth on the other side, but again, I couldn't see anything over there. I stopped and looked around. An unnerving thought struck me: the animal, whatever it was, was probably sitting hidden in some bush watching me. I was completely alone, there was no sign of anyone else up or down the path. I came over all scared. What if it was a big cat?  I turned and hurried on my way. 

Looking back, I think the 'animal' was most probably two or more small deer running together in a way that made them look like a single, longer animal. I have seen single deer crossing the path near that point before, but I had assumed that they were going down to the river to drink. However, on Tuesday morning the heavy rain would have enabled the deer to drink without going down to the river. No, I suspect they were crossing the river to get to the small strip of woodland between the river and the Blackwater Valley Relief Road. This strip of land is overgrown and pretty inaccessible to humans, and would make a good place for deer to hide out.

White Deer

I saw a white deer this afternoon.  It was nibbling at a security fence on the eastern side of the railway track between Bagshot and Ascot.  The deer was a pure white, not just a yellowish white, and didn't appear to have any darker patches or spots.  There were several other normal-coloured (grey-brown) deer with it.

Update on Tue 2008-10-21 by Tristram Brelstaff

I saw this animal again, a week or two ago, and it occurred to me that it might not be a deer but a large goat.  I will keep a watch whenever I go that way (which is not very often nowadays).

Update on Sat 2008-10-25 by Tristram Brelstaff

I saw this animal again yesterday.  It was sitting with some others, including a black one.  They most probably are goats.

Friday Afternoon Commute

On Fridays I often finish work at 1pm.  Normally I catch the fast train from Farnborough North direct back to Reading but yesterday, wanting to go to the barber's at Earley, I caught the train from Frimley to Ascot in order to connect with the Waterloo to Reading stopping train.

As we approached Ascot, I got up as usual and stood by the door to get a better view of the woodland on the inside of the curve into platform 3 and was rewarded by the sight of a largish deer hiding in the shade at the back of the wood and a fox curled up in the sun closer to the tracks.

Later on, at the barber's shop I felt too tired to read so I just gazed out of the windows while waiting my turn.  In a gap between two buildings, a red kite appeared, spiraling slowly on a up-draft.  I watched it do three full circles before it drifted off westward and out of my view.

Deer

Yesterday afternoon, the path between Frimley and Farnborough North I came across two small long-eared deer.  With the lake immediately to the left of the path and the river close to the right, they could have been trapped if someone had been coming the opposite way.  In an attempt to drive them to where the lake was replaced by dense woodland, I clapped my hands several times but, instead of moving onwards, they chose to dive into some bushes between the path and the lake.  They were still rather close to the path but, even though I knew they were in the bush, I was unable to see them, so I went on my way happy that I had done my bit.

Deer at Ascot

On Wednesday afternoon there was a deer walking alongside the track as my train came into Ascot station.  On Google Maps its location was here.