Deer Friends

June 10, 2020

I sent a photo of a very young fawn to my brother-in-law. He noted that it appeared very happy and relaxed. That seems to be the general attitude of the deer in this section of town. He could see that all the way from Costa Rica.

After she bedded down her offspring, Mom probably went out walking in the neighborhood with some of her BFFs, most likely catching up on the other births and all the latest gossip. While doing that, it just so happens that she takes her scent far away from the fawn, which has very little scent of its own. That’s a good thing because we also have coyotes lurking around.

Mom removing scent

I got within four feet of the relaxed little guy. It wasn’t as if it was hiding out. It was lying in our neighbor’s front yard enjoying shade from a bush.

The fawn I captured on my camera, along with its sibling, was birthed in our neighbor’s back yard just four days earlier, visible through our back door window. At least I think it’s the same one.  If so, Mom must have separated the two fawns so they wouldn’t fuss while she was away. By the way, this dramatically lessens the chance that all her offspring would be discovered by the same predator.

Yummy boxwood

Besides providing a quiet neonatal area, our street also spreads out a nice buffet. Word has obviously gotten around. As the deer travel from one yard to the next, I’m reminded of progressive parties that people on our street enjoy at Christmas. No wonder the deer are happy and relaxed. Who isn’t after a great meal?

Making it easier

What’s on their menu? Items like petunias, tulips, day lilies, along with a huge assortment of herbs and green leafy vegetables. Hosta night is particularly popular around here. Our neighbor is even constructing a raised buffet where they can munch their favorites with less neck strain.

Too much fun!

The deer get some great playtime in, too. Fawns play hide and seek in garbage cans and kayaks leaning against the house. Mom and her friends sometimes play ring-around-the-rosie.

Young groundskeeper

It’s not all food and entertainment, though.  Our friends weed eat along the edge of our patio. They prune our chartreuse boxwood, although usually too closely. At Christmas they decorate our yard. Before they moved into the neighborhood we had those fake deer that turned their heads. Now we have ones that not only do that, but they also move around.

Eating, playing, and grounds keeping can make for a long day. We try not to bother them. They do so much for the neighborhood and they need a lot of downtime.

Take a picture

From the pictures I am sure you can see the same thing my brother-in-law did about our deer. And besides being relaxed and happy, they are mostly well behaved. Mom doesn’t really go out and gossip. The fawns don’t fuss. But if we could just get across to them that it’s rude to stare.