These days scientists seem to accept that we have two native species of deer in Britain.

There is the red deer which is seldom seen in East Lancashire and the roe deer which is now common in our area.

But what about the fallow deer?

This has been resident in Britain for so long that it is often regarded as native.

Some scientists believe that it became extinct but was then re-introduced perhaps by the Romans.

The Normans certainly introduced many fallow deer for hunting and for the quality of the flesh.

They are now common but only in parkland areas.

Their spotted coats and the huge palmated antlers of the males mean that the fallow deer are easy to identify.

This week I wanted to study the species and I went to Dunham Massey and them to Dallam Park, near Milnthorpe just off the A6.

I spent most of the day watching a herd from a distance with my binoculars before I realised what I had been missing!

I was sitting by a bridge over the River Bela when I noticed two splendid male fallow deer lying in the long grass.

They were so close to me that I did not need binoculars.

They must have been there for more than an hour and just how I had missed them I don’t know.

It was better late than never and it was a delight to be so close to these graceful animals which I think we should regard as native to Britain.