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North of Whiteley Development Forum. The Forum will help ensure community involvement in a new Major Development Area (MDA) to the North of Whiteley. The forum will discuss: An update on the proposals for a major development north of the existing Whiteley settlement. The timetable for the production of the Winchester City Council Core Strategy and the work which is now being undertaken by the development consortium which is promoting the development. That should development proceed, that it meets the high expectations of the City Council and local communities, particularly in relation to infrastructure and the environment. Details

Category: Whiteley News

Whiteley Deer


Whiteley Deer 
Picture taken by Richard Cove near Whiteley Primary School.
The woods of Whiteley are what remain of a lost landscape, once forming part of the sprawling Forest of Bere. Today, nestled within the modern landscape, patches of woodland containing Hazel coppice, ancient Oaks and numerous species of flora, such as Bluebells and Wood Anemones, can still be found. These wooded sites provide a perfect habitat for Whiteley's resident deer population.
As the deer populations increase, you may find you come across these lovely animals more frequently around the woods and coppices of Whiteley. They are typically seen around dawn and dusk on the borders of woodland and encroaching on urban areas. If they are in your garden they will probably be after you prized plants such as flowers and shrubs. Deer have preferences for different plants so a good way to protect plants while maintaining a healthy, diverse garden is to provide natural, alternative food for the deer. Try allowing plants such as brambles, rosebay, willowherb, rowan, dandelion, campion, hoary cinquefoil, knotweed, sweet lupin, redleg, ribwort and yarrow to grow within and around your borders. An added benefit is a diverse garden, a diverse garden will be beneficial to insects and birds.

Roe Deer
These can grow up to 25kg and 75cm in height. The buck (male) will be slightly larger than the female.
In the summer they are a reddish brown colour while in Winter they can turn grey, pale brown or even black. They are solitary cretures in the summer but tend to form small groups in winter. They will browse for food including herbs, brambles, ivy, heather, bilberry & coniferous tree shoots. Deer Video Footage

Roe deer are native to Britain and have been around for the last 10000 years Forest clearance and over-hunting led to roe deer becoming extinct in England by 1800 however they survived in wooded patches in Scotland. Several reintroductions during Victorian times and their subsequent, natural spread aided by an increase in woodland and forest planting in the 20th century has meant that roe deer have become widespread and abundant today.

Fallow Deer

You maybe lucky and see a Fallow Deer around. They are slightly bigger than the Roe Deer. The common variety is the familiar tan/fawn colour with white spotting (becoming long and grey with indistinct spots in winter) on the flanks and white rump patch outlined with characteristic black horse-shoe.
Adult size. Bucks (males): 84 to 94cm at shoulder, 46 to 94kg. Does (females): 73 to 91cm at shoulder, 35 to 56kg. The females can live for 16 years while the bucks usually live around 9 years. They are abundant and increasing in number. They love mature broadleaf woodland, open coniferous woodland and open agricultural land. They tend to eat grasses although trees and dwarf shrub shoots will be taken during autumn and winter. Fallow deer found in Britain were introduced by the Normans in the 10th century although some would suggest that the Romans attempted to introduce it here much earlier. Fallow deer were prized as ornamental species and were protected in Royal Hunting "Forests" for royal sport. During Mediaeval times many deer parks that held fallow deer were established and these and more recent park escapees have given rise to the free-living populations in Britain today.

Deer Ticks
Deer ticks are small and dark-coloured and feed mostly on deer, cattle, and other large animals, but they will feed on people when they get a chance. The ticks live along paths, trails, and roadways and may inflict a painful bite. Deer ticks can carry the Lyme disease bacteria in their systems. This tick-transmitted bacterial disease is most likely to be contracted in the summer months when people are outdoors. Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics administered orally. Read more at NHS Direct. 

Last Updated on Monday, 19 March 2012 12:57

 
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