Month: June 2018

It’s hard to see in the photo, but there is a tiny fawn nursing the doe. I noticed her walking up the path and then watched from my bedroom window as she walked into the tall plants. Then I saw the tiny fawn stand up to nurse! You can imagine how excited I was! I couldn’t get too close without disturbing them and was disappointed when the doe led the fawn across the road and into the woods.

She must have felt the fawn was safe near the house, however, because I saw her feeding and cleaning the fawn in the meadow several days. Here’s a video.

She seemed to lead the fawn into the cooler woods during the day and bring it back later. I think they moved on when the fawn got strong enough to keep up. Here they are meeting with Vee in the feeding area (video). I have seen only one fawn so far, but I know there will be more!

 

Look closely at the first photo, and you’ll see a tiny fawn nursing. The mother stashed the fawn in the meadow right below my house! I watched her from the house as she walked around the mowed perimeter of the meadow and checked for danger before she went to the fawn. What a wonderful surprise to see the tiny fawn appear out of the grass! Later she led the fawn across my road and into the woods. I think she moves the fawn when the field gets sunny, then brings it back later; I have watched her lie down next to the baby for the past two days.

It’s been hot and muggy, but my rambles continue. I was dismayed to see a dead garter snake in the road last week and devastated to find a smashed box turtle earlier this week. I don’t understand how anyone could be going fast enough on our steep gravel road, which has been eroded by the heavy rains and has rills and gullies, to run over a turtle.

I see turkey hens with poults when I walk, but they disappear into the bushes and trees before I can get a clear photo. Meanwhile, toms and hens without poults (chicks) come by the house several times a day. I often hear them gobbling and clucking before I get up in the morning (and I am an early riser!).

The deer come, too, but not as many. It seems that the yearling bucks and the young does who were not bred have reached the point where they are expected to make it on their own. I think they are a bit confused my their mom’s behavior, but at least these two have each other for company. Some of the does are still pregnant, and I keep watch for more fawns. You know I’ll post photos when they show up!

The rainy days continued for a while (Asheville’s rainiest May recorded),

but now the weather has turned sunny with above average temperatures. The trees and other plants are lush, and some of the garden flowers are blooming. I see butterflies on my walks, and they are all over the butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) my garden. It also grows wild in the Hollow, and I enjoy spotting it in unexpected places—including in a patch of poison ivy. The butterflies are in other places, too!

I continue to struggle with the Mac. Some of the photos don’t show as I write but show in preview. I hope you can see them and will watch for the next post!