Leaping Deer

Wildlife is unpredictable and elusive so it pays to do your research and plan your trips carefully. I learnt a long time ago that turning up somewhere on the off chance that something might happen often led to disappointment. But, however much you prepare to photograph a specific subject you must also be prepared to expect the unexpected. On this occasion I was waiting patiently to photograph Barn Owls but they were no-where to be seen. Just as extreme boredom was ‘kicking in’ a male Chinese Water Deer casually walked out of the reeds and started grazing. I took a few images but it wasn’t long before it sensed my presence and bounded through the undergrowth to safety. I captured this image mid leap just before it disappeared again into the vegetation.