In search of mushrooms
The sun was shining, but there were still raindrops on the leaves.
The sun was shining, but there were still raindrops on the leaves. Whenever the wind moved through the trees, the drops fell around me. I find that sound so freeing. It creates a background you only really hear in a forest.
The path took me further into the woods as I looked for mushrooms. I was particularly looking for ceps. I know this area, and when I was here last October I was lucky enough to find six really nice ones.
I kept looking around for mushrooms. Among some young beech trees, I spotted an old tree stump with some large, pale yellow mushrooms growing around the bottom. I walked in between the trees to get closer and take a few pictures. The large mushroom might be a bracket fungus, if I remember correctly.
I made my way back to the path. It split in two, one path going right and the other left. A clearing to the left caught my eye, and that was when I spotted a roe deer about 50 metres ahead.
It lifted its head, turned towards me and pricked up its ears. It stared at me without moving. I could see one ear twitching. I felt a little jolt in my stomach and stopped halfway through a step. I hadn’t expected to see a roe deer at this time of year, especially not in this forest.
I took a couple of pictures and tried to film it as well. My phone can’t zoom in as far when I’m filming. After taking a few pictures, I put the phone back in my pocket and continued along the path to the right. This was where I’d found all those mushrooms the previous autumn.
The walk took me down towards the water and the slopes, where I’ve often found ceps. I walked all the way around the edge before heading back through the middle of the forest, towards the place where I’d started my walk.
I passed the old tree stump again. The path continued onto a man-made network of paths covered in hard gravel and small stones. The forest became a bit more boring from here. There were beech trees on my left, while on my right was a small fenced-off area with young trees. Where the fence ended, there were some beech trees that looked about five to ten years older.
Further ahead, a wide, completely straight track appeared on my right. It had almost certainly been made by a tractor. As I passed the opening, curiosity got the better of me and I looked down the track.
There was the roe deer again.
This time it hadn’t heard me. It was standing there eating. I took my phone out of my pocket, and at that very moment I noticed that the deer had turned its head and was looking straight at me. It stayed where it was and kept watching me.
I took a couple of pictures and carried on out of the forest and headed home. Seeing a wild animal in nature always gives me a warm, reassuring feeling, and it always makes me happy. Twice in one day, both times within half an hour.
Even though I’d gone out looking for ceps, seeing the roe deer made the whole walk worthwhile.