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Ranald's Collection of Sayings and Verses
A Sheer or a Deep


Our house, located in the southwest area of Falkirk (Scotland) on the Lochgreen Road, has an unrestricted view to the south over Standalane farm fields.

In the winter of 1998-1999 my wife, who had been enjoying the view from an upstairs window, called to say that among the sheep there was a small animal, which she did not think was a goat.

I went upstairs and was amazed to see a young deer fawn walking along with the sheep.

Upon making enquiries with the farmer Mr MacKenzie Hill, I was advised that the mother deer had jumped the fence into a western field, and had given birth to the fawn amongst gorse bushes. The baby could not jump the fence so the mother made regular visits to look after and feed the little one.

It was not long before the wee soul was able to accompany the sheep and happy to graze with them.

A Sheer or a Deep

Some time later I thought I must try and obtain a picture. Early in February 1999 I crossed over Lochgreen Road and, carefully looking over the hedge, managed to take a photo (above) of the little fawn. He is not ‘fenced in’ and can move freely into the main field. Another picture was taken at a later date: can you spot the fawn in this photo (below)?

A Sheer or a Deep

Although I often see roe deer in the general area, it was nice that quite a few people stopped to look at the unusual scene in the field.

As the weeks rolled on the little one was always close to the sheep and this made me wonder if it thought it was a sheer or a deep, hence the title of this article.

In early spring 1999 I managed to get a photo (below) over the hedge on Lochgreen Road opposite our house. By this time the little one was growing fast and, suddenly realising his ‘friends’ had wandered away, was looking for them. Just after this picture was taken it ran off to the sheep that were just over the skyline on the right, and then contentedly continued grazing along side them.

A Sheer or a Deep

The sheep were due to be removed from the farm by the end of March 1999 and this gave concern to the farmer Mr Hill that the deer would be all alone. No parents and no sheep friends. As it had been paying visits to the barn where it was able to have straw for food, this gave the opportunity for the barn door to be closed and thus trap the wee thing inside.

When the Mr Hill went into the barn to catch the deer its anxious and distressed wailing gave concern until a sack was placed over its head that seemed to calm it down. This type of stress can cause a fatal heart attack to wild animals; therefore it was fortunate that the wee one survived.

It was carefully loaded into a vehicle and taken by Mr Hill to a Country Park, which is about ten miles southeast of Falkirk. With its head still in a sack the deer was quite quiet during the journey. It joined a small herd of wild deer and appears to have been accepted into their fold. By now it would be impossible to identify the little one that had no obvious personal markings.

When speaking to Mr Hill’s son this New Year (whose house and garden are on the farm land) he mentioned that one Christmas there were two roe deer in his garden.

Taking his young children to the window in order that they could see the deer without disturbing them one of the children said, "Santa must have left them behind". Nice!


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