A Quiet Evening Interrupted by Magic

Doe and fawn at Frickley Country Park in evening light, photographed by Bob Firth.

 

It was just dropping dark when the stillness of the park shifted. I was sitting quietly, waiting for the hares, when two shapes emerged from the trees — a doe and her young fawn. My heart jumped, and I hardly dared to breathe.

Wide view of Frickley Country Park at dusk, UK

 

Frickley Country Park is a place I’ve walked countless times, but that evening felt different from the start. The light was fading fast, the air cool but still, and the horizon painted with the last hints of sunset. I’d come for the hares, but nature had something else in store.

 

The doe kept her distance, the fawn never straying far from her side. They were just that bit too far for a perfect shot, but that didn’t matter. I stayed completely still, knowing how easily the smallest sound can spook deer — even the sound of a breath taken too loudly.

Close-up of doe and fawn, peaceful wildlife scene.

 

For twenty minutes, I watched them move gracefully through the clearing, pausing every so often to glance in my direction. It felt like we were sharing the same moment, quietly acknowledging each other’s presence.

The low light made photography tricky — I had to push my camera’s ISO higher than I’d like, and the distance meant I had to work with what I had rather than risk moving closer. But sometimes the story matters more than the sharpness of the image.

Encounters like this are more than just a photograph for me. They’re a reminder of why I head out with my camera in the first place — not just to capture, but to witness. On days when my mind feels heavy, moments like this pull me back into the present.

Evening landscape at Frickley Country Park, soft light and calm atmosphere.

I left the park that night with no “perfect” shot, but with something far more valuable — a memory of pure stillness and connection with nature. Sometimes, the best moments are the ones you can’t stage or predict. When was the last time nature surprised you like that?

 

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