(It’s not the perfect opportunity, but I’ve been wanting to use that pun for years.)
Today Annie and I explored the natural areas around our new home by trekking around Sligo Creek Trail for a couple of miles. Right before we turned around to head back to our non-nature responsibilities, we spotted these deer in the undergrowth (er, is overgrown undergrowth “overgrowth”?) beside the path.
To be fair, we spotted them because another woman on the trail was taking photos of them with her camera, and we followed her gaze.
With a few contortions, I managed to extract my camera from my bag without making too much noise, but of course modern cameras in and of themselves make a fair amount of noise—beeping to assure you they’re in focus, making shutter-clicking noises, etc.
In spite of this, the deer seemed remarkably unaffected by all this digital noise, although they did occasionally pause in their chewing to examine us (especially when the other photographer’s phone went off).
We were surprised to see a stag so near what looked like a doe and almost-grown faun, but a little online searching revealed that white-tailed deer start mating in November, so perhaps the two of them were preparing.
And apparently fauns stay with their mothers for 1-2 years, so perhaps the younger one was hanging out and making grossed-out noises every time the adults made moves on one another.
Or maybe they were just hungry and in the same area.
Today Annie and I explored the natural areas around our new home by trekking around Sligo Creek Trail for a couple of miles. Right before we turned around to head back to our non-nature responsibilities, we spotted these deer in the undergrowth (er, is overgrown undergrowth “overgrowth”?) beside the path.
To be fair, we spotted them because another woman on the trail was taking photos of them with her camera, and we followed her gaze.
With a few contortions, I managed to extract my camera from my bag without making too much noise, but of course modern cameras in and of themselves make a fair amount of noise—beeping to assure you they’re in focus, making shutter-clicking noises, etc.
In spite of this, the deer seemed remarkably unaffected by all this digital noise, although they did occasionally pause in their chewing to examine us (especially when the other photographer’s phone went off).
We were surprised to see a stag so near what looked like a doe and almost-grown faun, but a little online searching revealed that white-tailed deer start mating in November, so perhaps the two of them were preparing.
And apparently fauns stay with their mothers for 1-2 years, so perhaps the younger one was hanging out and making grossed-out noises every time the adults made moves on one another.
Or maybe they were just hungry and in the same area.
{A note: I do write all text and take all pictures. Please do not reproduce either without my permission.}
3 comments:
Lovely pictures. Deer have grown used to humans near them, I think. They cavort in the cemetery near my son's house quite fearlessly.
It's true, Patti--and of course can be a problem as the increase in number of interactions increases the likelihood of car accidents, disease transmission, etc. Still, they're really pretty!
Watch for ticks!
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