Nature Notes: Searching for Wildlife and Finding A Fawn

Last week we had gone to my Mom's so I was near a rural road I had traveled many times and we decided to drive down about four miles and take a look at the man-made lake that had been dug years ago in hopes of getting some nice water shots. The road above is large enough for one vehicle so the need to be careful is evident. I took this photo through my windshield. As you see the weeds are quite overgrown and with a small stream running along the right hand side of the road I wasn't about to step on any slithery wildlife.

(click to enlarge)

This, my friends, was the highlight of the ride. A baby fawn. Now you must understand that I was probably twice the distance from it than my camera lens was capable of capturing but there was no way I WASN"T going to try for a photo to record the moment. Mama knew as soon as the jeep had stopped. I snapped and off she went with her little one wobbling behind. I cropped this from my original shot and even though it isn't a good quality it captures a nature moment I won't soon forget.

There were many lone does in the fields that day. All of these images are of different deer. Who knows how many may have had a little one hidden nearby. It has been so rainy that folks have not been able to cut their fields so hiding was easy for them.This doe was just off the road on a small hillside. We did stop and she let me take her picture. Did you notice the honeysuckle in the background?
We felt pretty sure this doe was hiding a fawn. Her actions were cautious. She watched us but never ran far.This is the same deer moving closer to the tree you see. She had just looked over a few feet in front of her before looking back at us. She never moved again as we continued out of sight.
As I mentioned a small stream ran along the road and in places I literally had to glimpse through the trees. I almost missed this wild turkey. It was over the embankment in dark vegetation. I have lightened the image so you can see her. She too began walking away but wasn't rushed - unusual movement for a wild turkey. They normally will run away. I was busy trying to get a good photo and almost missed her babies. Yes, she had babies with her. They were on the opposite side of her and almost below the level of the weeds. I saw one go over the embankment beyond and was disappointed I didn't get a picture.

When I downloaded these pictures they were so dark I barely could see the turkey but I tried lightening them and this is what I found. Look to the right of the tree and you can catch a bare glimpse of a baby turkey. If you look closer you can see the Mama's head peeking just around the tree.

As I sit finishing this post I'm glancing out my sunroom window and a deer is feeding in the field between my neighbor and I. She has a fawn. I've seen it once during an evening rainstorm. I'm hoping the doe will feel comfortable soon to bring her fawn out in the open. She feeds every evening at about this hour. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my camera close.

A photo of a special nature moment is always what we strive for and it's still my goal; but being there, experiencing nature at its best, is worth every picture lost.

I hope you'll take time to enjoy the beauty around you.

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