We have been spotted

by

The Chinese Water Deer

Happy New Year to all our fellow bloggers! What may 2024 have in store for us?

Ein frohes Neues Jahr für alle unsere Bloggerfreunde. Was mag wohl 2024 für uns bringen?

Our New Year’s walk between heavy rain showers took us to the local rivers and reed beds. The coast paths were all in the hands of holidaying visitors with their dogs, marching like pearls on a string.

Unser Spaziergang am Neujahrstag zwischen heftigen Regenschauern brachten uns zu den Wasserläufen und Schilfgebieten hinter unserem Haus. Die Küstenpfade waren voll in der Hand der Touristen, die mit ihren Hunden wie Perlen auf einer Schnur dort entlang marschieren.

Amongst the reeds we enjoyed the whisper of the long grass swaying in the wind and we can hear the bearded tits in there. Much to Dina’s dismay they don’t show themselves. They are not good flyers and prefer to stay safe in the reeds when it’s windy.

Wir erfreuten uns am Flüstern des langen Riedgrases, das sich leicht im Wind bewegte. Wir hörten die Bartmeisen, aber zu Dinas Enttäuschung zeigten sie sich nicht. Sie sind nämlich nicht so gute Flieger und ziehen es deswegen vor, sicher im Ried zu bleiben, wenn es windig ist.

Suddenly, Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma who are flying in front of us, stop and signal us to be quiet.

Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma, die vor uns flogen, hielten plötzlich inne und forderten uns auf, ganz ruhig zu sein.

“We have been spotted!”
“What do you mean?”
“We have been spotted“, Masterchen whispers, “I thought we are out spotting.”

“Wir sind gesichtet worden!”
“Was meinst du?”
“Man hat uns entdeckt“, flüstert unser Master, “und ich dachte, wir wären hier, um etwas in der Natur zu entdecken.“

“I can smell something peculiar, something new …”

Now he sees the deer and thinking it is a Muntjac, he has already lost interest and retrieves to his own thoughts about his next publication. Dina, however, is alerted and her heart jumps with joy at being so close to this wonderful elusive creature, a Chinese water deer, and immediately lies down with her camera. The deer is absolutely baffled at the sight of Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma and allow them to fly closer.

Da sieht er ein rehartiges Tier und meint, es sei ein Muntjak. Sein Interesse ist verflogen und er denkt an seine nächste Veröffentlichung. Dina allerdings ist ganz aufmerksam und ihr Herz schlägt freudig, weil sie so nah dieser wundervollen, sehr scheuen Kreatur ist. Es ist ein Chinesischer Wassserhirsch. Sofort wirft sie sich auf den Boden, die Kamera im Anschlag. Der Hirsch ist völlig verblüfft Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma zu sehen und erlaubt ihnen, näher heranzufliegen.

“What is this? 2 very strange looking overgrown butterflies?”

Have you encountered a Chinese water deer?

Habt ihr schon einmal einen Chinesischen Wasserhirsch gesehen?

These peculiar looking deer were first introduced to the UK in 1896 to Woburn Abbey Park in Bedfordshire but they originate from east China and Korea. They were released into the countryside and have since established themselves mainly in the south-east of the UK. They prefer marshy habitats, are good swimmers and don’t seem to be causing as many problems as our other invasive deer – especially the muntjac. The British population now account for 10% of the world’s total. The males lack antlers but instead grow prominent tusks. Their conservation status is following the IUCN List endangered.

Diese eigenartig aussehenden Hirsche kam 1896 zum Woburn Abbey Park in Bedfordshire. Sie stammen ursprünglich von China und Korea. Später wurden sie freigelassen und haben sich seitdem hauptsächlich in Englands Südosten verbreitet. Sie lieben Marschen und sind gute Schwimmer und scheinen keine Probleme wie andere invasive Rehe und Hirsche, besonders wie die Muntjaks, zu verursachen. Die britische Population macht inzwischen 10% der Weltpopulation aus. Die männlichen Wasserhirsche besitzen zwar kein Geweih jedoch auffällige Reißzähne. Ihr Bestand ist nach der IUCN Liste gefährdet.

Altogether quite some fang-tastic facts, Siri and Selma end their first, short report in their brand new logbook. “THE FAYRIESPOTTER’S LOGBOOK – Reports from the observation year of two fairies.“

Spannend finden das Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma und sie beenden ihren kurzen Report in ihrem nagelneuen Logbuch “Das Feen Beobachtungsbuch – Berichte des Beobachtungsjahrs zweier Feen.”

In China and Korea a Chinese Waterdeer is seen to bring good luck. Why not here as well?

In China und Korea gilt der Chinesische Wasserhirsch als Glücksbringer. Warum nicht auch hier?

Happy nature spotting
Frohes Naturbeobachten

The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

.

© text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers & Klausbernd Vollmar, Cley next the Sea 2024


163 thoughts

  8. Bis eben habe ich noch nie etwas von einem Wasserreh bzw. -hirsch gehört oder gelesen. Schon interessant, was es doch immer wieder für neue Entdeckungen gibt.
    Euch ein rundum schönes und vor allem gesundes 2024 und noch viele weitere solcher interessanten Entdeckungen.
    Liebe Grüße schickt Euch die Silberdistel

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Herzlichen Dank, liebe Silberdistel. Bis wir hierher zogen vor über 40 Jahren, haben wir auch nicht gewusst, dass es diese Chinese Waterdeer gibt. Man muss also nicht nach China reisen, um sie zu treffen.
      Ganz liebe Grüße
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  9. ein sprechendes gesicht. die augen, der mundwinkel. der blick. interessant. sieht schon etwas älter aus. wenn ihr ihn oder sie gesichtet habt, kann es ja nur bedeuten, dass euch ein glücksjahr bevorsteht. ich wünsche es euch von ganzem herzen. 🙂 liebe grüße aus berlin und die besten wünsche fürs neue jahr.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Liebe Wolkenbeobachterin,
      Naja, Siri meinte, das sei ein Reh bzw. ein Hirsch, der slimmen müsste.
      Danke für die lieben Wünsche vom Meer nach Berlin
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  11. I have enjoyed seeing deer in woodland settings but am glad there are none close to my garden! You caught some beautiful photographs! Happy New Year.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Liebe Ute,
      wir freuen uns sehr, dass wir dieses Wasserreh ab und an hier sehen. Natürlich bringt es Glück.
      Mit lieben Grüßen von der sonnigen Küste
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  17. That WAS a stroke of good luck – and I hope you won’t hate me for saying that’s a very odd-looking creature!. 🙂 Excellent photos, as always. You were smart to avoid the crowds and explore the reedy places. Best of 2024 to you all!!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Liebe Vera
      diese Wasserhirsche leben in Europa hauptsächlich in unserer Gegend und in Frankreich.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom sonnigen Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  22. So ein seltsames Wesen, das gar nicht wie ein Hirsch aussieht, sondern eher wie ein Zwitterwesen aus Wildschwein, Hund und Hase, habe ich noch nie gesehen.
    Ich bin baff und freue mich sehr über euern speziellen Glücksbringer.
    Auch von mir Glückwünsche für ein gutes und lebenswertes neues Jahr.
    Herzlichen Gruss,
    Brigitte

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Darlene
      Well, this water deer was so fascinated by our two Fayries that it stood still in amazement.
      Thank you very much
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Dear Four Fab of Cley,
    How wonderful that Siri and Selma spotted the deer so quickly and Dina was able to get these remarkable photos of them. I thank you for sharing them with us.
    2024 snuck in rather quietly around here, especially since I was sound asleep by midnight!
    I wish you all a happy and healthy year coming to us.
    GP

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  39. Perhaps 2024 will be the Year of the Water Deer for you: a year filled with unusual sights, unexpected opportunities, and the memories that come with them both. My best to you; I’m looking forward to enjoying the sights you bring us, and your explication of them, in the coming year.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  41. Can simply say I have never encountered any Chinese waterdeer in my life.
    And will safely say this is the first time I have even heard or seen one!
    Incredible photos! All so very exciting! Just to make the travels and see
    that beautiful country sounded exciting to me! Wounderful finally hearing
    from all of you. Have a most wounderful 2024!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Eddie.
      We had a little break from blogging, there was so much else to do. Now we are contemplating a new project, a nature alphabet. We think about how to make this interesting and not like a Wikipedia article.
      A happy and healthy 2024 for you as well
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  42. A deer with fangs?! It’s a first for me. My first thought was ‘there is a fun looking deer with great whiskers.’ I certainly wasn’t imagining fangs. 🙂 I had to revise my thinking. The next natural question is how does it use those fangs? Thanks for sharing, guys. And Happy New Year!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  43. What crazy animals you have in Norfolk. I would love to see these water deers, haven’t seen one before. I am pretty sure we don’t have them in Sweden – well, maybe in a zoo. That’s one reason to visit you again, isn’t it? But you have to visit me again as well. We have masses of snow right now. You would love it, as I know you.
    Have a creative, happy and healthy New Year.
    Dear Dina, GREAT photos (like always).
    Keep on blogging – Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma told me that you contemplated to give up blogging. And I was told that Klausbernd is writing another book after the multimedia-projekt about dreams that came out last autumn. I thought he is retired … Hanne-Dina is busy photographing and your sweet fairies told me that she got some of her pictures published even in the BBC. I am impressed. CONGRATULATIONS!
    I just started a new course about the fairy tales of romantic poets. It might turn out to become a book. I especially love Ludwig Tieck but don’t understand Goethe’s fairy tale of the green snake. Quite an alchemist story. I have to talk to you about it.
    With warm greetings to my dear friends
    KRAM
    Annalena

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear Annalena
      indeed, you have to visit us, maybe in spring. Unfortunately we don’t have any snow here but lots of rain in the last week, nevertheless today was a sunny day.
      Actually with the writing it’s pretty easy. The challenge is not to repeat myself after so many of my books about dreams and now about colour as well. I try my best. My editor persuaded me to write these books and she hopes I will do one about personality types later. I am not quite sure.
      I had problems understanding Goethe’s fairy tale as well. I read it at least five times before a got a glimpse of understanding.
      Hanne-Dina is now very knowledgable about all the animals here. She is much into nature whereas I am more into books. I learn a lot from her.
      We’ll phone at the weekend.
      With big hugs
      Klausbernd 🙂

      Like

    • Dear Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma you are snitching – but I don’t mind. Nevertheless snitching on someone is not the fine English way. Okay, it’s different with dear friends like Annalena. No cut of pocket money 😉
      Klausbernd 🙂

      Like

    • Dear Annalena
      By the way, today I found a classic we read together at the end of the nineties
      Roszak, Thedore: The Making of a Counter Culture
      It appeared on our book corner.

      Like

  44. If those long two sharp teeth weren’t there then those deer would be one of the cutest animals I have ever seen. But just a cute pic don’t make sense. Those teeth are important for their defence. ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  45. Happy New Year to our dear friends. I know, I am quite late but Christmas and New Year was a busy time – like always.
    What a funny creature you met there. I never came across anything like this. Like always very well photographed, dear Dina.
    I am very happy that you decided to go on blogging but I can also understand that you get quite often fed up with it. It’s not so much writing a post but the visiting others. Very medieval ‘do ut des’! Anyway you go on blogging and we are happy reading from your world.
    Let’s phone this coming weekend
    Per Magnus

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Hi, our dear Arctic friend
      Happy New Year to you as well.
      It’s Klausbernd who wanted to stop blogging. His argument: “I have more important and interesting things to do than blogging. We try to reduce a lot in 2024 why not stop blogging?” But Dina with the help of Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma persuaded him to go on blogging. And here we are, a blog about a funny creature coming from the far East and feeling quite at home here in North Norfolk.
      How’s live at yours in Longyearbyen? We hope everything is fine and you are well.
      Keep well and warm
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
      👭💃🚶‍♂️

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you very much, dear Julie. According to our Bookfayrie knowledge you find them in China and Korea and nowadays in East Anglia and parts of France. Deer-collectors brought them to Europe.
      All the best for the New Year
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  51. Pingback: We have been spotted – Urban Fishing Pole Cigars

    • Thank you very much, dear Tina.
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma went to a Gurdjieff group where they learned to keep up a constant awareness or as they phrase it ‘to fight sleeping at day time’. Obviously it helped.
      We wish you all the very best and a happy and healthy new year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  57. A very Happy New Year to all of you. Thanks for sharing interesting facts, and amazing photos of this beautiful deer, I would have never known about them. I hope it brings good luck to you, indeed.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Nehal,
      most people we know haven’t seen or even heard about this Chinese Water Deer. It’s unusual that such a Chinese animal feels at home here at North Norfolk coast.
      Thanks for commenting 🙏 🙏
      We wish you lots of good luck in 2024 🍀
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  62. Happy New Year! 🎉 Oh, the Chinese Water Deer, what a unique creature to kickstart 2024 with! 🦌 May this year bring us as many surprises as the Water Deer has teeth (which, if you didn’t know, is a lot for a deer!) 😄 Ein frohes Neues Jahr! Let’s leap into the new year with the grace of a deer and the curiosity of a blogger. 🌟 Cheers to a year full of amazing discoveries and delightful posts! #2024Adventures 🚀📚

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thank you very much for your kind comment 🙏 🙏 We’ll try our best to master the new year with the grace of a deer and the curiosity of a blogger (we very much liked your expression).
      From the sunny but cold sea warm greetings
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  64. What a delightful way to begin the New Year… a little magic from the book Fayries and Dina’s Camera 🙂 And the fluttering of Siri and Selma look to entrance the Chinese Water Deer so well, that Dina is able to get such incredible shots. What a great series of close-ups of this beautiful animal – the tusks make it look prehistoric… amazing. This will be a special year, I believe 🙂 Wishing my favorite Fab Four of Cley a wonderful year ahead!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Randall
      thank you very much for your kind words.
      We were a bit fed up with blogging and thought about how we could change our blog (or if we should finish blogging). We asked ourselves ‘do we need a clear profile or shall we change our blog to a photoblog with pictures only?’ It was Siri’s idea to look for blogs we like best and we all four voted for your blog, a blog with extraordinary pictures and a very well written text. This is what we try to achieve as well. So your blog will be a kind of our ‘model’.
      Wishing you a happy, healthy, creative new year
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Whatever you do, DO NOT stop blogging. As with great art, your posts always make my heart beat a bit quicker ~ I get to learn something new and then admire beautiful photography seldom seen. The beauty of WordPress is finding inspiration from others, so with this, I thank you very much for providing so much of it to us all 🥰. Let this year be a great one for health and creativity.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you very much, dear Randall. Your kind comment is a big motivation for us to go on blogging. So we’ll walk to the beach behind our house having fun to prepare a blog-post. We are looking forward to your next post. Reading your posts and looking at the photographs is like reading a good book. It touches us as well.
      With love from the wintry grey sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Ja, lieber Gerhard, das sind es. Sie werden zum Kämpfen während der Paarungszeit eingesetzt. Wegen dieser Hauer sah man bisweilen diese Water Deers als Reinkarnationen von Vampiren an.
      Schönes Wochenende
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  66. I have never heard of these – what luck meeting one! Lovely captured too, and those “teeth” look very strange. I would never have dreamt they could be found in Britain. Thank you for introducing us!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  68. Pingback: Wildlife in the garden | FabFourBlog

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.