July moves deep into Summertime, with the days heating up, whilst still enjoying longer and lighter evenings.

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I ventured out with my camera after work one evening, to find the Hares. Only shortly into my outing, I was observing some distant Hares, when I heard splashing - to only realise it was coming from a water trough in a field. I knew straight away that something must be trapped and drowning in it. So immediately ran back to my car and grabbed the rescue carrier which I keep in the car, and then dashed back and clambered over the field gate and went over to the trough ....not quite knowing what I was going to discover! And there, was a very bedraggled and soggy Wood Pigeon. I scooped it out and popped it straight into the carrier and then headed to a wildlife rescue place (which are getting to know me now) - where they took on the pigeon, dried him off, checked him over, and then he was freed the following morning. He may have recovered if I had left him to dry off in the field, but he was tied and weak and a fox may have grabbed him that night. Whilst I was in a different area  (the New Forest) after I had dropped the pigeon off, I decided to stay out for the evening and spent a lovely couple of hours watching Deer and photographing New Forest foals in the evening sun. 

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July saw some lovely sunrises and sunsets. However, it is hard getting up at 4am to venture out to see the sun rise, and I only made it out a handful of times at dawn (and have generally had less opportunities now I am back at work, and need to wait for the school breaks to make up time). 

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I had a wonderful experience one early morning - when I spotted a male Fallow Deer heading across a field. He kept pausing, but was then off on a mission at quite a speed. I drove further along the lane (good 1/4 mile) and pulled over, and just as I did, a Hare dashed towards the fence, panicking, as the thunder of hooves were coming up the field ...and was the same Deer, going like the clappers, whilst snorting like a race horse! I got out of the car and looked through a gap in the hedge, and saw him continuing up the field chasing another Hare. Something I have never seen before. 

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I made it down to the coast on a couple of days, to enjoy the sea breeze and blow a few cobwebs away. Is always good for the soul. Through the heatwave, it was a relief to enjoy the cooler air by the sea.

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The crops are started to turn gold and no doubt harvest will happen early again this year. Having spoken with a couple of local farmers, they said it has been a good year for crops which is good news. And it is also fantastic to see more farmers planting wild flowers or fields of Phacelia crop to help encourage the Bees. 

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I love July, as it is the month when the Harebells start to come through. Such delicate and dainty wildflowers, and also known as Fairy Thimbles.