Camera Critters: Say Ahhh.....

No words needed - the cuteness factor says it all!

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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.

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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.

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PhotoHunt:Low - Caught.....

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

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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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Camera Critters: Fawn Update and The Bucks

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Most of you who read my blog on a regular basis know I have a plethora of deer in my yard. I have watched two small fawns grow up this summer. This first image is of the oldest fawn. If you look closely you can see just a faint spots around the neck. It's wonderful to see them get older but I miss "the baby" stage already.
This image was taken from my deck and a farther distance than is optimal for my zoom but it is the youngest fawn. You can still see quite a few spots but they will soon be gone as well.
Be sure to enlarge this one to see the detail. They were way out of range but I had to try. Having two bucks in the yard at the same time was too good to pass up. Bucky is on the right. He's the eight-point I've posted before. The one on the left is a smaller four-point. He has visited off and on but they've never been here together.
I took all of these here at home just last week.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Saturday!

Camera Critters : The Fawns

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty. Here is where you will find all kind of critters. Click on the icon to check out all who are participating this weekend. Crab a camera, take a critter photo, link to Misty, and join in the fun. You never know what you'll find!!

This Week In My Yard

The deer have been visiting almost on a daily basis this week.
Our Resident Buck Trotting Through

A few weeks ago back in June Willard left me a comment that hopefully my deer would keep coming back and bring her fawn to see me. He was right. Actually this week is the first time we have seen them. There are two different ones. This is the older one with Mama.

It is comfortable walking around and eating by itself and will run the length of the adjoining field to catch up with Mama.
This is the younger fawn that showed up this week. You can see it still wants to be fairly close to Mama.

This is a little better shot. This one didn't go very far from Mama at any time it was in my yard.

I was standing in my sunroom taking all these over the course of the week through the window which contributes to the non clarity of the photos. You'll have to excuse the smudge on the window in this one. Actually a Morning Dove flew into it. (It was fine and flew away and the windows did get washed today.)