As Chuck and I were driving through the valley to our hiking spot, I noticed a group of deer grazing in a large field. On second glance, I saw that they were all males with antlers. I quickly parked and grabbed my camera. There were five big bucks. I crept closer and closer until I could see the faint fuzz on their antlers. Finally, one looked right at me as if posing for the photo.
Once we hit the trail, we hiked past ponds and marshy areas peering through the trees and bushes to look for critters. A great blue heron stood serenely on a log while wood ducks puttered around near the shore. Belted kingfishers flew over the marsh chattering loudly and swooping down to pull fish from the water.
There is a snag of dead tree limbs at the edge of the marsh we stopped near it and squatted amongst the pines. I watched the limbs, hoping a kingfisher might land there. Chuck stuck her head in a big hole, sniffing and circling, but staying quiet. All of a sudden, a green heron came into focus. It was a small one, perched right near us! I managed a decent shot before it flew off to a higher perch on a tree in the middle of the water.
We continued our explore and found a raccoon playing in the creek. It was skittish, but I managed to keep Chuck quiet so we could watch it wash its little hands and scramble up and down a fallen log. High in the trees, we heard a hawk screaming. Over and over, its cry pierced the sky. I finally saw it perched on a bare treetop. Down below, I found another green heron. It cocked its head and looked skyward, listening to the hawk’s screams.
As we circled back for the return stretch, we approached a bend in the road. A doe stepped out of the woods and stood, stock still, in the middle of the street! I could hear the whir of car tires approaching from the other side of the bend. My heart skipped a beat, but the mama moved out of the way of the oncoming jeep just in time. A few moments later, two fawns stepped out of the woods and cautiously crossed the street to join her.
As we watched the trio, another doe and her fawn emerged from the woods. They approached slowly and then began to “dance” in a circle clearly greeting and playing with one another. Once the dance broke up, the original doe and her fawns began walking directly towards us. Chuck sat next to me, quivering, but not moving or making a sound. I watched through the view finder as the deer drew closer and closer until they filled the entire frame! I couldn’t believe they weren’t put off by Chuck. Finally, they noticed her. they turned abruptly and disappeared into the woods.
