It’s been a quiet weekend because the whole family has been poorly with another cold. I haven’t ventured far out at all, despite the nice weather, opting instead to sit inside under a blanket and feel sorry for myself. We used to be so fit and healthy, but as soon as young Scarlett started going to nursery we’ve succumbed to every single bug and virus that’s gone around. ‘Scarlett fever’ – ha ha!
As a result of my moping, the only little snippet I can add to the body of naturalist knowledge this week is a picture of the droppings of a Chinese Water Deer from the garden. It isn’t much, but they’re not a common deer species so it’s useful to have a record.
Chinese Water Deer Droppings - scale in cm
The Handbook says this of the scat of Chinese Water Deer: ‘Usually1.0-1.5cm long x 0.5-1.0cm wide; not normally aggregated, black or dark brown, cylindrical, pointed at one end, rounded at other.‘
So now you know, should you ever come across any…
Tales from the Wood - The Diary of a Badger Watching Man 
Hi BWM,
you know I’d have completely overlooked that, discarding them as perhaps sheep droppings, thanks for the pointer.
John