There are, of course, many animals to pick from but the prevalence of deer and snakes may betray my special liking of these creatures. We are lucky enough to have enjoyed quite a few garden visits by roe deer. These happened while the garden was in its infancy and maybe it's too overgrown now for them to be able to come again. However, they do evoke happy memories even though they nibbled a lot of plants.

Snake sightings are chance encounters and quite a few are seen basking on hot road surfaces. It's then a challenge to ready the camera in time to get a picture. On several occasions a snake has obliged by not slithering away (what usually happens) but the sound of an oncoming vehicle always accelerates matters.

The tables offer a selection of animal portraits.