Warm light on a cold afternoon

This week was rainy and cold. The wind whipped in from the NW and most days were cloudy. Medical appointments and procedures had to be observed despite the adverse weather conditions. The rain erased all evidence of he snow before temperatures plunged into the low 20s°F ( -6°C). I would be lying if I said I did not miss winter in our former home in south Florida.

Photographic opportunities with critters were mostly limited to those accessible through the windows of our "front" door, which faces north. The feeder area is now in deep shade until about an hour before the sun dips below the horizon. One afternoon, just before sunset, the low sun burst through the clouds and a Carolina Wren cast long shadows as it explored the leaf litter along the granite outcrop:

The warm light bathing the yard  belied the bitter cold temperature:

Earlier in the week, it was evident that the old buck had assembled at least three does and a yearling fawn into his "harem." The bucks and does form separate groups until the breeding season (rut), which occurs in late fall and early winter. Does are often accompanied by their fawns. Female fawns may stay with their mothers for two years, while young bucks usually depart after the first year (iPhone photo): 

Rather than gathering a true harem, the buck actually defends his territory against other males and services a number of females which co-exist there during breeding season. Several times in late summer and early autumn, I have counted groups of up to six does and  two yearling fawns around the property. One morning I startled a herd of 12 which burst out of the wooded area next to the house.

While this buck may not mate with all the does in his territory, nearly 100% of those two years and older will become pregnant by around February. Mortality of fawns is high and only about 60-80% survive into spring.

I recognized this doe as "Notch," named for the split in her left ear. She was the mother of one of the two fawns I photographed as spotted little "Bambi's" on August 6, on the back acres of the property: 

Incidentally, also back in August, I captured this image of my reflection (wearing my wide-brimmed hat against the sky) in the eye of "Notch," as I photographed her from the fence at the edge of the cliff above her: 

This fawn posing with "Notch" is a male, as evidenced by his raised and squared forehead with slight knobs (pedicles) where antlers will emerge in a few months:

He was browsing on some sort of fungus or growth on the bark of this dead branch. Also note his rich fur coat:

Judging by the facial pattern and antler configuration, this one is the same buck which visited our bird feeders last week:

The third doe in the group may have been Bambi's grandmother::

White-tailed Deer in the northern reaches of the US and southern Canada are larger and more robust than those we had in Florida. Yet they still appear to be such delicate and fragile-appearing animals.

As with many animal species, the larger size is an adaptation for survival in the colder climate. During the winter they also develop a dark and thicker coat of long guard hairs and a dense undercoat, which absorbs more sunlight and traps body heat. I noticed that, in the spring, many looked malnourished, with ribs showing. I learned more from this reference: How Do Deer Survive Harsh Winter Weather?

"Deer also alter their behavior to survive the winter. They are generally less active, sometimes dropping their metabolism by half, which allows them to save energy and eat less. Deer may physically hunker down during particularly harsh weather—not moving for days, even to eat— which is made possible by relying on their fat stores.

"Deer also typically seek areas that are more sheltered in which to rest and eat, such as stands of coniferous trees that maintain their needles during the winter and allow snow to build up, both of which help provide some wind resistance and possibly cover. These areas, sometimes known as “deer yards,” may encompass many—if not hundreds—of acres, providing shelter for lots of deer. "

Amber sunset on December 19:

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Linking to:

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Garden Affair

All Seasons

Image-in-ing

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World
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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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