On a warm sunny late September afternoon I’m in Bushy park watching, at a respectful distance, a noble red stag surrounded by a harem of around thirty hinds.
However, some of them are this or last year’s young and still with their mothers so are sexually immature at this stage.
Every few minutes the stag throws back his multi-tined antlered head and roars a defiant bellow. Occasionally one of his harem trots off to join another stag sitting just a few metres away but he seems completely disinterested so she walks back to her lord and master.
Curiously, sitting right next to the second stag is a large white fallow buck (both pictured). 
The photo shows the difference between the two with the palmate antlers of the fallow buck and the tined antlers of the red stag.
I think that probably the pair are past their prime and cannot face the rigours of the rut and the stag with the harem seems untroubled about their close proximity so perhaps he senses their condition.
The following week I’m in Richmond park where a red stag is strutting proudly among a massive following of sixty hinds and young all attended by a large flock of starlings perched on their backs picking off invertebrates. A remarkable sight.
Normally stags seek a wet area or puddle to wallow in as it enhances their scent but September was completely dry so the do not have that luxury.