There is a beautiful scene in Rob Reiner’s 1986 film ‘Stand by Me’ where the character played by Wil Wheaton wakes up at dawn before his three friends and, sitting on a railway line, spots a deer crossing the tracks in front of him. In the movie, the character confesses he didn’t tell anyone about the encounter until his older self, played by Richard Dreyfuss, recounts it in a book he is writing. I often think of this when I’m up with the larks and see wildlife you wouldn’t ordinarily see during daylight hours. This morning, while walking down Long Mill Lane towards the church, a Fallow deer emerged from the hedgerow and stood, watching me for what seemed like minutes but was likely just seconds. Shooting from my hip, I squeezed off several frames before it turned and trotted contentedly down the road, disappearing into the gardens of Platt Farm. I considered keeping this one to myself; however, it was such a beguiling moment that I decided against it.

I’d left home shortly before 4 am and watched an intense red orb rise above the fields at Comp before I headed towards Beechin Wood and Pigeon’s Green. A ewe and her lamb watched with passive interest as I made their portrait, and after spotting the deer, I headed into Stonehouse, where larks, almost invisible to the eye, sang high above the fields. Traffic increased as I walked along the Maidstone Road, and by the time I’d made it back to Wrotham Heath at 6:30, rush hour was in full flow.

This is Platt on 20 June 2025.