Spotted!!

This Muntjac deer had been grazing along the edge of this sunlit hedge bank for ages and I had gradually worked my way across the field towards it. I had the sun to my back and a copse of trees behind me. I guessed if it looked in my direction it would be blinded by the low sun. There was no breeze so I wasn't sure how quickly it would pick up my scent. I got to around 60 metres and was about to drop to the floor and wriggle closer, despite the frosty grass, when it suddenly looked up and spotted me. As with most deer, I got about 2 seconds as it weighed up what it was seeing, so this was taken hand-held, standing, at the maximum 108mm zoom range of my little compact camera, with auto-stabilization switched on. Half a second later it was gone, through the hedge and into the wood beyond, making the normal hysterical barking as it went.