Fiery Bracken, from Red Shoot Plain

With names like Big Whitemoor Bottom, Dockens Water, Rodens Bottom, and lots of other 'Bottom's', plus Red Shoot Wood and, Appleside Inclosure all nearby, I could only be in the New Forest.

First bus of the day, in total darkness and then the three mile walk up from the main road. Sunrise was more like a turbulent Turner, with speckled grey clouds. The sun reluctant to show its cheery self but as the cloud eventually broke up, a low, bright winter sunlight lapped over and wrapped itself around every crevice in the undulating heath.

The colours glowed, the post autumnal bracken brackish in dark rust hues. My eye cast as far as it could see, the wind fresh and keen, the views glorious. My part of the world, not far from where I grew up, the winding roads where I started going on huge exploring bike rides. My grounding in landscape, the natural environment; photography.

It was sodden underfoot, the naturally drained (and not-so-drained!) ground making for a giant sponge. The succulent greens sang, the birds flitted and danced upon the morning's air. Keep still for ten minutes and you can see where they nest. A group of chestnut and grey New Forest ponies stood lazily in the sun. A glancing nod over to me (in case I had food) but then a resumption of casual scratching of head and neck on straggling gorse stems.

Splashes of yellow dotted the landscape, the gorse in flower is always a cheery sight. See the big one in the middle, here. 

On my return to main road and bus home, I followed Dockens Water (burbling brook) as best I could. Loads of sphagnum bog and a haven for wildlife. A herd of fallow in the trees. They had seen me and used the wood for cover. Stay still and they eventually get bored and move on. More (not very good) photos.

Trying to cross the bog and brook proved difficult, ending up in impossible. A 'causeway' made up of planks of wood strewn over the soggy surface which moved side to side when trodden on. I felt like Indiana Jones! Even the signpost saying 'footpath' had rotted so much that it leant over, at a drunken angle.

On the other side, where the bog proved impassable and where walking on the heavy clodded grasses was like walking on jelly, another herd of fallow deer were watching a horserider, on the other side of the hill. As I don't wear after-shave, never dress in red or bright colours and was down wind, I watched them for a number of minutes, completely unawares. Their big ears acting as radar, scooping in sounds - the only sound coming from this direction was my clicking Nikon D7000...

So, a good morning and with good photos. What a nice day!

Lens is Tamron SP 17-50mm f2.8

I seem to have got slightly lost with all these notifications for Hearts and Stars and all that. I'm tending to not thank for stars as they are too numerous (THANKS) and normally I would thank individually for Favourites. It's quite easy to miss these and I'm sure I have. I apologise but thank you again. I also have and have had quite a few things on my mind of late, what with the time of year etc.

I would like to thank Blip HQ and all that liked my Blue Hour Bath Abbey blip enough - they only used it in the Twit feed and for Facebook!    

Some Friday night TV now and then I'll be back with you all. Have a great weekend!