tis the season of critters

 

Fawn

My first thought as I rounded the rhubarb was "Gambol? How did you get here?" Then I realized the copper and white animal wasn't a Brittany but a newborn fawn.  

FOY: Fawn

First fawn of the year in the walnut grove hollering for his mother as the dogs approached. 

Wildlife

I sneaked around the evergreens on the forest fringe to see if I could find the tree where Buddy flushed the turkey hen. Sure enough, I found the tree and the eggs, but it appears that the hen has not been back to the next since being scared off by Buddy. of 3, 4, and 2 instead of 3 by 3 by 3. We can recheck the nest in a couple of days to see if they have been moved by the hen at all. We suspect that the hen will not come back, unfortunately.
In the forest near the house I spotted a small (3 foot?) Eastern Black Snake all coiled up in a tight ball.I took a couple of pictures, but did not want to get too close to scare the snake away.

Gambol flushed a fawn this morning, chased it for a while while it squealed, and finally left it 9 (after a short tone).

Fawn experience #4

On our after dinner walk to the meadow Gambol began barking like crazy: (Mom, MOM, MMMOOOOMMMM, I found something.  Look, look, I found it for you Mom.). It was not his squirrel bark nor his chipmunk or rabbit bark. I knew it wasn't a turtle because he just brings them to us with no barking. I backtracked to see what he had.

2 orange and whites, nose to nose

It appeared to be in good condition but had a 1.5" scab behind its left ear. 

Buddy brought us a turtle...the same female that Gambol found last night, but at least Buddy didn't eat her.

PS Tuesday, 19th, 0600
The boys found the fawn, dead, under the same spruce. It had an injury to its rear leg; perhaps that's why it didn't runaway on Sunday. I dragged her to the lower bone pile. One less deer to eat Paul's plantings.