Today beautiful photos appeared in the Facebook group ‘Friends of Diependal’. Special photos from the nature reserve in Midden-Drenthe are shared in the group. The three men who were in the bird watching hut early this morning, did a very special observation. Two males of red deer passed by around 8.30 am.
“I have never seen this before,” says Bert Bijmholt. “Very special.” The Vogelaar can be regularly found in the nature reserve at Oranje, usually with his wife. “It’s a joint hobby, but she didn’t go along once. Bales she missed this.”
According to Bijmholt, there is always something nice to see in Diependal. Birds, otters, roe deer and this year also the raccoon dog. But until recently a red deer was not on the list. Vogelaar Remi Hindriks was also in the hut this morning and says he was astonished. Last week he saw the animals in the Oostvaardersplassen. “But you expect them there. Not in Drenthe.”
Hindriks: “We were quietly looking around, enjoying nature, when suddenly two large red deer came from the woods.” Bijmholt says that it was a bit wind and the sun just rose when the animals appeared. “Unmistakably with such great antlers.” Hindriks did not immediately believe it. “I thought: this is not right. Maybe they are escaped fallow deer?”
Inquiries with ecologist Peter Venema teaches that two men have been running through Drenthe for two years. “Red deer are usually active at night and at dusk,” he explains. “That they are now seen in daylight is special.” The fact that the animals have been spotted in Diependal has to do with the fact that they will look for the Hindes at the end of September and the beginning of October. “Then they will roam and come to other places.”
When the awareness had landed a bit at Bijmolt and Hindriks, the nature lovers enjoyed the special scene. “Hundred percent enjoy,” said Hindriks. “After taking a nice photo, I also put my camera away to look and enjoy.”
The scene took about ten minutes. The red deer walked along the quay of the lake, a bit through the water and then on the other side again to disappear through the Hoge Riet into the forest. Hindriks: “We no longer had those ten minutes for the birds.”
Both men agree that their day can no longer go wrong after this experience. View the beautiful images they made of the red deer in Diependal below.