Morning Deer In Shadows

One morning last week hubby had a doctor's appointment and as I walked by the sunroom I glanced out the window to see two deer coming across the meadow in the dew covered grass. The backlighting of the morning sunrise put them in lovely shadows. You can tell that they see me standing in the window. They come underneath the big old oak tree in my backyard to find whatever bird seed the birds have knocked from the feeder hanging in the tree. They have in the past sniffed at the finch feeder you see in this shot.

It was a lovely way to start the morning.

(click on pics to enlarge)

Linking to Camera Critters and Shadow Shot Sunday 2.

Mama Deer and Her Twins

I mentioned last weekend that the turkeys and deer had been visiting our backyard. If you visit regularly you've seen photos of the twenty-five turkeys that are still visiting about every other day. When we started seeing them we also started seeing the deer again. We see them throughout the year but when deer season starts they tend to hide. Now that the season is over they're once again roaming the woods. They are a pretty large herd. I've seen about twenty at once but a little farther away than my camera can capture suitably. However, a mama and her twins who visited regularly in the fall aren't afraid to hang out and nibble on the bird seed under the feeders. She's brought her babies by for many months. Many of you will remember these guys when they had spots. I took these photos standing at my sunroom window. They literally look in my window at me.Here I caught Mama sniffing the air. I guess she caught the scent of something. She didn't run away so I guess she wasn't too worried.I took this cute little girl's picture Thursday evening. She looks much bigger in this photo than she really is. She is the smallest of our visitors. I worry about her making it through the winter and I was happy she was comfortable enough to lie down in my yard.

Snow started falling just before dark this evening and we have about a half an inch. I hope they are all huddled down someplace warm.

Linking to Camera Critters.

Twin Fawns

The deer have been visiting for quite a few weeks now and when I glanced out the living room window a few days ago this is what I saw. I grabbed my camera and hoped I could quietly sneak out the front door. Luck was on my side and I quietly sat down in a rocker and watched this little beauty nibble away. I looked around wondering where Mama could be and noticed a pair of legs underneath the bushes by the nearby gazebo.

Soon a little twin joined his sibling. Though they have nothing to fear from me they don't yet understand that maybe they should be afraid so they were content to let me sit and watch them.

It wasn't long until Mama stepped out from underneath the overhanging bushes to see where her babies had wandered to. Upon seeing me her ears perked up, she pawed her hoofs and let me take her picture before she started running slowly away her little ones scampering off behind her.
Posted for Camera Critters.

Camera Critters: Neighborhood Newbies

This lovely little fawn showed up in my yard yesterday morning. I saw it run across the meadow between me and my neighbor. I have waited all summer to see them emerge from the woods. Toward evening hubs was going outside to bring in the garbage cans from the street and as he passed the sunroom he whispered for me to join him. I knew he had seen something and I knew my camera was in the sunroom. Here the little thing was in my back yard less than 50 feet from my deck. It was a little nervous and noticed my presence when I stepped out on the deck but it let me take a couple of pictures before scampering off. As was the case in the early morning hours when I first saw it there was no Mama Doe to be seen. I sure hope nothing has happened to her and I hope my little visitor returns in the days ahead.

Yesterday morning I also watched this young squirrel try every way he could to get to my bird feeder. He is much smaller than this image makes him appear and I think he is one of the baby squirrels from spring. The morning was quite pleasant and my sunroom door was open. Heidi the cat sat looking out the door not making a sound when I looked up and found this little guy sitting on the deck railing. I got this best of three shots before he discovered me and ran off to a nearby tree. I had seen him earlier 'steal' a walnut and start stripping it. I'm guessing that's a crumb laying at his feet.

For more animal antics and Camera Critters click here.

The Buck Stops Here

On Tuesday evening this six point buck strutted into my yard. I've seen him before but not this close.

At the same time our youngest fawn visitor and mama were in the front yard area just to the left of where the buck was in the above photo.

Hanging out in the backyard near the woods was our oldest fawn visitor and mama and a friend of the family.

Very close to and eyeing my Rose of Sharon bushes were these two. Notice the still golden red color of the deer on the left. The deer on the right has begun to take on the light gray color of winter's insulated coat.

The fawns and their mamas have been around all summer with other occasional doe making an appearance a couple of times a smaller buck as well. It's that time of year when we see more and more deer. For those of you anxious for cooler weather it's a sure sign fall is on the way.

All of these beautiful creatures were in my yard on Tuesday evening. A couple more got scared seeing me peeking out the window and tip-toeing around the deck and they ran away from their portrait session. Wait till the rest of the crowd tells them they missed their fifteen minutes of fame!!!! I bet they'll be back.

For more Camera Critters join Misty here.

Mating Season for White-tail Deer

A couple of our Camera Critter bloggers from Pennsylvania (Willard and Coy) often talk about the rutting season of the white-tailed deer. They spend time out in the fields looking for and photographing this yearly deer ritual. What are the odds I would be able to watch this occur in my own backyard. Not highly likely I'm sure; but it did occur this past week.

I've become particular of the quality of the photos I post but this is too good not to share.This shot was a long one for my camera so I've cropped it so you can better see the activity. I had looked out my window and saw three bucks passing by - the first this season. I grabbed the camera and quietly stepped out on the deck. These two bucks are between my neighbors house and mine. The third buck is to the right just out of sight in this shot. They didn't battle long and went about grazing on the grass.
The above shot was taken two days later on Tuesday. I took this guys picture through my living room window. He was beside my front porch eyeing the dogwood tree you can barely see on the right. If you look closely or enlarge this one you can see him licking his lips. I'm guessing those little branches were tasty. You'll also notice that three of his eight points have been chipped. I don't believe he was one of the two in the first picture; but perhaps he has been in some rutting activity of his own.
For more Camera Critters click here.

PhotoHunt:Low - Caught.....

.....nibbling the LOW branches of the Rose of Sharon bush!

For more PhotoHunt participants

click the badge...................................>

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.

For more Nature Notes

click the badge.............>

The Deer and Her Shadow

This is a deer that frequents my backyard quite often. She has somehow been wounded near the bottom of her back left leg. For awhile she limped and could barely walk but over the past few weeks has healed pretty well and is walking much better and running a little. One day last week on a very sunny day she walked past my sunroom window and when I noticed the shadow I knew she was the subject for this week's Shadow Shot.


For more Shadow Shots
click the badge...............................>

Camera Critters: The Deer Closeup

Hey lady, yes you, looking out your dining room window.

We're here for our closeups. Yeah, make us pretty!

For more Camera Critters click the badge..........................>

Camera Critter: You Lookin' At Me?

This lovely critter was making its way up the hill from the woods toward my flower bed on Tuesday. We sort of had a mutual staring contest. Be sure to enlarge to see the beautiful face of my visitor.

I took this Friday afternoon of one near the same spot.

Be sure to click the badge at the top of my post to visit Misty and other Camera Critter participants. You never know what you'll see.

Camera Critters: A Menagerie In The Snow

It was snowing and very overcast last Saturday when I stopped by a park on the Ohio River. I knew I was a little too far from this guy to get a clear shot but it was worth it to me to just point and shoot!

I love how the red cardinals show up so colorful in the snow. We had gotten about an inch last Saturday night. On Sunday this little guy was actually pushing the food to the ground below the feeder. Why?

The Mrs. and friends just so happened to be underneath. I have watched these two for weeks and he always seems to watch out for her. I've even seen them sitting on the branches and 'kissing'.

She did take her turn however! So dutiful!

I know - more deer! But, I had to show you 'A Buck and His Harem.'

This is almost three inches of fresh snow from Friday afternoon.

Sepia Scenes: Peek-a-boo I See You

I haven't had much time this week to go photo hunting so I experimented with a shot a took a few weeks ago of a deer in my backyard. The photo was a little blurry so I cleaned up the exposure somewhat and then applied an antique color effect as well as bumping up the red color balance just a little. The light colored leaves were yellow in the original color photo. This photo was taken the second of November. The landscape has changed a lot since then.

To see more Sepia Scenes click on the badge at the beginning of my post and check out what other participants are sharing today. Thanks Mary for being a terrific hostess.

Camera Critters: Looking For Food

(Please scroll down for Saturday's Wordzzle)

Tuesday morning the ground was covered with snow and critters large and small came looking for food. I caught this little birdie in a tree near the bird feeder. I love birds and love watching them but I'm by no means a 'birder.' I'm not sure just which kind of woodpecker this little one is. I think she is a red-bellied woodpecker. One of you more knowledgeable readers can clue me in.

Of course the herd of deer came looking too. By herd I mean that there were about fifteen around on this particular day.

This one came munching under the snow for the birdseed that had been spilled from the feeder. Some of the deer have been familiar with this spot all summer and knew where to look. I can't be sure but think this is one of the fawns I've had since Spring.

Jake here came in the pouring snow a couple of days before. His tail feathers were covered with the white stuff. He came straight to the spot under the bird feeder so I'm sure he's been here before too. He isn't as plump as some we've seen. Guess they're in hiding these last few days before Thanksgiving.

For more Camera Critters please click the badge at the top of my post and visit Misty and the others participants posting today! You never know what you'll see!

Bucky and Button - The Yard Visitors

October 25, 2008

Last Saturday as I passed the bay window in my dining room this was what I saw! There was Bucky getting ready to head back into the woods and Button sniffing around the back door!

Be sure to click the badge at the top of my post to join Misty and the other participants posting Camera Critters. You never know what you will see!