Off to a Stag Party?

[rolf]

Spotted this majestic chap in a garden where I was working on Sunday, unfortunately only had my mobile phone with me.

He was definitely off somewhere, perhaps to a stag party.

[Chocky]

Great shot.
Who needs a DSL when a phone can take a shot like that

[ladylouise62]

Fantastic! Pity that you didn't have a proper camera, and yet you can't knock the quality of that phone piccie.

[PaulSmith]

Nice find, yes picture quality is good.

[Catherine]

Rolf, that's a wonderful find! I've only seen one on telly!

Do you know;
Unfortunately, the stag beetle is now rare in Britain, mainly due to loss of suitable habitat. ?

That quote is from here;
Beetle (Stag) :: Animal Facts :: Young People's Trust for the Environment

There is a Stag Beetle survey still being run by The People's Trust for Endangered Species. They want reports of sightings here;
great stag hunt | people's trust for endangered species | mammals trust uk | mtuk & ptes

Apparently most of these are along the Thames Valley and in the south of Britain - like The New Forest, etc.

Do you know that your garden is special, and could be declared a Local Nature Reserve if it holds significant stag beetle populations? (Just imagining you giving tours and talks there!)

By the way, Rolf, that pic is a great record of your sighting - and why is it not in the Gallery?

[rolf]

Sorry Catherine, missed your post, have now reported it.

I've seen quite a few over the years, but this is the first for a couple of years.

[Catherine]

I'll excuse you, Rolf!

I still want to see one myself though!

[rolf]

They are really something special, particularly when they raise up on their hind legs to warn you off.

[ladylouise62]

Because I had a female in my garden a few years ago (and saw a male not too far away), I left a pile of dead wood in the corner of the garden... only another 2 or 3 years to wait to see if it was used