Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Wildlife Wednesday - Fawning Over June Surprises

My dogs tend to enjoy the wildlife in my garden just as much, or maybe even more than I do.  It is not uncommon for me to find them sniffing out a rodent, or "playing" with a toad out in our backyard.  However, I was VERY surprised to find them licking a baby deer in my backyard a couple weeks ago.


Besides the fact that I was surprised (and very relieved) that they limited themselves to just licking the deer while fervently wagging their tails, I was more surprised to find the little guy (or gal) in my FENCED IN backyard at all.  How did he get in?  Well, considering he is an itty bitty, teeny weeny little thing and probably not more than a day old, he must have squeezed through the fence bars, which are probably only 4-5 inches apart.


Look at those long, skinny legs!  Momma deer must have given birth to the little fawn in my front yard the day before, and thought that it seemed like a safe enough place to leave her babe while she went out foraging for food (I'm not so sure she still thinks that after this little guy's excitement with my puppies).  It is not uncommon for momma deer to leave their young for a full day, returning at night when they feel it is safe to do so.


Apparently in the first week or so of a fawn's life, their danger instinct is less of the normal "flight" and more so "hide and stay very very still."  This little one thought that my flower beds made a nice hiding place.


But something still gave him away...;-)


With the lack of the flight instinct yet, I was able to get very very close to the fawn.  I guess this is why my dogs were even able to get close enough to lick him.  

The fawn moved around into different garden beds throughout the day, and one or two times, I let my dogs out in the backyard to see if they could find him (since I didn't know if he was still out there, or if he had wandered back out through the fence).  Atticus - the true hunter of my two standard poodles, was always able to find him for us.  The fawn's extreme stillness defense worked for him in both cases because, after Atticus sniffed him out, he didn't ever actually find the baby deer, meaning, he didn't realize he found the deer because the fawn was so still that he wasn't noticed by my dog.


After getting a decent photo session in and enjoying the baby wildlife, my husband and I went about our Saturday social plans.  When we returned later in the evening (after yet another downpour...do I really live in Texas?  Feels more like Florida), we found the fawn moved to another garden bed again, this time enjoying a nice nap in the lavender (maybe he thought the pungent scent may throw off any predators?).


As it turns out, our little deer wasn't an only child.  He had a little twin hanging out in my next door neighbor's yard!  Double the cuteness!! I wondered why the babies weren't huddled together and later found out that momma deer will usually separate their young so that they have a greater chance of survival.  Makes sense, but I don't like thinking that anything bad will happen to either of these little cuties.


I knew it was likely that the momma deer would come around late in the evening to collect her young, so I left my back gate open to make sure she could find her little twin that was hanging out in my back garden beds.  Before heading to bed, I looked outside and saw momma deer nursing her baby in my backyard - what an awesome sight!  I was so relieved that momma came back and found her little ones, as well as safely made their way out of my backyard...but not before nibbling on some of my strawberries and phlox!

This is my absolute favorite garden wildlife experience this year.  Thanks to Tina over at My Gardener Says for hosting the Wildlife Wednesday meme on the first Wednesday of every month!


17 comments:

  1. What a sweet post!! I think it's my favorite of the year too!! That face, those spots, the skinny legs! All add up to, too cute! I adore the pic of you and baby! I'm so glad you're a regular at Wildlife Wednesday!

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    1. I was so in awe of the little guy - I spent quite a bit of time throughout the day checking up on him and watching him. Such a sweet little thing - I'm so glad he was reunited with him momma.

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  2. Certainly the cutest Wildlife Wednesday subject. Funny how the fawns in both our posts ended up inside the fence. They are cute until the start to eat the landscape.

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    1. Agreed - I don't mind the fawn in the yard, since he isn't interested in nibbling on my plants. Momma, on the other hand, is a different story - that why certain plants stay inside the fenced in backyard, where the deer don't go...normally.

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  3. I meant to also comment on your nice, sweet dogs. I just love your description of them licking the fawn with tails wagging. I wonder what they thought of this tiny new "dog"? :)

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    1. They definitely were looking to "play" with the new "dog." The couple of times the fawn sprinted from hiding place to hiding place, they got REALLY excited and wanted to play "tag." But the fawn was mostly interested in hiding and staying very still, which my puppies found a bit uninteresting.

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  4. I'll second Tina's vote - those must be the sweetest photos and one of the best stories all year. I'm so happy Momma came back while you were checking so you could rest well knowing the babies were back in her care. I growl at the damage the adults cause, but those babies...! Who could resist?

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    1. It was so precious to see momma and babies reunited. I had read that mommas normally come back for their young in the evenings once they feel all danger has passed, but I was still a little concerned with how dangerous momma might have thought our yard was, mainly with my crazy excited dogs running around and licking the deer. Thankfully, it didn't seem to deter her.

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  5. What a wonderful, delightful post! I was so glad to learn Mama made her return. You're so lucky to have had such a great experience.

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    1. It was a very special experience, and definitely an unusual one, especially with the baby getting into the backyard. My neighbor said momma deer have had their newborn babies in her yard for several years now, which makes me wonder if this might not be the last time I get to experience such a cool part of nature.

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  6. How wonderful! I think it is heartbreakingly sweet that your dogs were licking it and wagging their tails. Good dogs! I read once that deer can easily leap over a six foot fence from a standing position. Baby deer ... wow wow wow

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    1. I've heard the same with how high they can jump - unreal! I'd be interested in getting to see that!

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  7. "Our" deer provide endless entertainment, but nothing like this!

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    1. I've lived in my house for almost four years now, and see deer all the time. But I've never seen such young deer - a day or two old, and especially not in my backyard! What a treat.

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  8. They are super cute. I had a solitary fawn in my garden earlier this summer, and now I have twin fawns hanging out every day while Mama forages. They're too cute to mind -- for now. But I'll be less tolerant when they start eating plants (or trying them) and antlering them in the fall.

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  9. These are amazing photos and how blessed you are....our fawns are well hidden in the wild area and mommas won't bring them out to the meadows until mid-July...we are waiting to see them. And you gave me a great idea. We can leave the gate to the garden open as they begin to go into the meadow...maybe they will venture in to see us up close.

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