Tag Archives: deer

Random wildlife shots.

 

Because it’s time to clear out the photo files again.

 

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Momma chuck has been packing on the pounds with an eye toward winter..

 

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But it doesn’t stop her from scrambling up and over the rock wall quicker than I can move my shutter finger.

 

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I have a feeling at least one of her two remaining offspring will be sticking around when the snow flies.

 

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I keep catching him rooting around under the daylilies, filling his mouth with dead leaves and making off for parts unknown with nesting material.

 

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Last year’s fawn comes every night, and since his new antlers are decidedly unbranched, I’ve taken to calling him the antenna buck. Because I’m old… and remember when you had to wiggle those things every afternoon to watch Dark Shadows.

 

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Though these next two pics were at the outermost limit of my zoom, I’m including them because we rarely see momma turkey and her young.

 

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She raises them in the woods and neighboring meadows, never crossing our large expanse of open lawn.

 

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And finally, a few Bambi shots.

 

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Because they’re so damned sweet, I can’t help it.

 

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Another Bambi sighting.

 

These two cuties came running up from the woods the other day while I was reading on the barn porch.

 

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They’ve grown so quickly.

 

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Getting taller every day.

 

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We have a total of four fawns who visit.

 

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But I’m guessing these two are twins since they’re always together.

 

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Mom wandered up shortly after.

 

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And kept an eagle eye on me and my camera.

 

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No worries momma.

 

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Bambi is safe with me.

 

 

 

 

Chilling.

 

This is the way we’ve been spending most of our evenings during the summer of Covid-19.

 

 

Barn porch sitting with an adult beverage…. or two.

 

 

Sometimes there’s a sunset.

 

 

The deer usually wander up for a treat.

 

 

And bark at us if we’re spotted.

 

 

Which, all things considered… is pretty frickin’ rude.

 

 

We are the treat suppliers after all.

 

 

I don’t need a formal thank you note, but a little common courtesy would be nice.

 

 

Ahh….

A deer-able.

 

We caught another glimpse of Bambi last night.

 

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Making it’s way into the woods with mom.

 

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Can I get an awwww?

 

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Last year’s babies antlers are growing…. this one’s straight up.

 

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And this one’s up and out.

 

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They’re brothers and no, I have no idea why their racks grow in different shapes.

And lastly, the end.

 

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Of the deer, as well as my post.

 

 

 

 

Bambi!!

 

We had our first little guy sighting of the season the other day.

 

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And oh my goodness….

 

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If that isn’t the definition of the word sweet I’ll eat a kale souffle.

 

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The family kept a close huddle on the food.

 

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But Junior managed to push his/her way into the fray.

 

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I think I might have audibly squeaked in joy at that point.

 

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Bambi!

 

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We knew some of the does were pregnant, but they won’t bring the fawns up out of the woods for the first few months.

 

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And even then it’s usually very early in the morning when yours truly is still in dreamland.

 

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So it was wonderful to see them in the late late afternoon when the sun was still shining and providing light for pictures.

 

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Welcome to the herd little one.

 

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You’ll want to stick around, the crazy lady with the camera lays out a pretty nice buffet.

 

 

 

 

It’s not easy being a deer.

 

This is the time of year my heart goes out to these graceful wild creatures.

Because in Maine?

 

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It’s fly season.

 

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And there’s nothing flies like more than a juicy deer.

 

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The poor things are covered in them.

 

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Day and night, night and day.

 

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All over their bodies.

They twitch, they scratch, they shake like a Parkinson’s patient to no avail.

 

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I can’t even imagine how horrible this must be.

I go berserk if one nasty fly finds me when I’m mowing the lawn…. I’d be stark raving mad if I had to contend with this many!

Critter central.

 

Woodchucks are still being tormented by starlings.

 

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And are sometimes drastically outnumbered.

 

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Deer and fox happily dine together.

 

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Squirrel keeps an eye on deer.

 

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But calls in back up.

 

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Until another fox shows up.

 

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Who is so chill he lays down and eats like a Roman.

 

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How chill?

He even smiles for the camera.

 

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Deer, fox and squirrels depart, woodchucks return.

 

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It’s the circle of life.

Otherwise known as an average afternoon in our backyard.

*note – these pictures were taken before the drought turned our lawn a lovely shade of brown*

Hullo gawgeous…..

 

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Our buck finally showed up at a light enough hour for me to get some decent photographs.

 

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Yes you, you handsome devil.

 

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And while I love seeing him….

 

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I fully appreciate his wariness and reticence to visit the nightly buffet.

 

 

 

When you’re that handsome you have to be careful.

 

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His rapidly growing rack will make him a prime target of every yahoo with a rifle in a  few months.

 

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And the thought of his beautiful head mounted on someone’s wall makes me physically ill.

 

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But for now, he and his family are safe.

 

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And we enjoy our rare sightings.

 

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Even if his rude wife does keep sticking her tongue out at me.

Random critters.

 

I was finally able to grab a few pictures of our resident buck.

 

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Which is getting harder to do as the summer wears on.

 

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But this father son shot was pretty sweet.

 

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Junior’s antlers are growing.

 

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And it always makes me wonder what the felt feels like.

 

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Naturally there are woodchuck photos.

 

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And some close ups.

 

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We have one lone chipmunk this year.

 

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And yes, those pesky red squirrel babies are still here.

 

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Using our deck railing as a cafeteria.

 

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As well as a toilet.

 

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Yes, I’m talking to you.

Clearly your mother didn’t tell you not to shit where you eat.

Bad form. Very bad…..

 

 

My favorite kind of sale!

 

When the local nursery has a half price and buy one get one free sale in July?

 

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You fill the back of your car.

 

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Find room for some in an already full bed.

 

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And replant the pots that your resident woodchucks munched to stalks.

 

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Hopefully with flowers they don’t like.

 

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And when the nursery extends the sale to the end of the month?

You go back again.

 

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And cram even more flowers in a bed that’s already full just because you can.

 

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While a red squirrel watches.

When you’re done?

You sit back on the barn porch and enjoy an adult beverage before dinner.

 

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And watch the old doe walk up to have a snack.

 

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Life is good.