14 deer in five groups have come to dine at Hilltop Deer Cafe in the past three hours
Group 1 (2 deer)
Ginny came home to get some stuff with one of her old friends. While they were here, two deer came. One was Wolf, and I think the other was dot, but I'm not convinced. The dot was only one hair, while the other deer called Dot has a dime-sized white dot on her forehead. They were here long enough to empty two bowls.
Group 2 (3 deer)
I went out and refilled them around 3:30. Around 4, three more deer arrived, arrove, each with the mushroom shaped cloud marking. One was Underbite, who also has a V missing from the edge of the flap of his left ear. The other two were twins with their mushroom markings. I suppose they are a family.
Group 3 (3 deer)
Now at 4:37, here is another arrival. He has a mushroom marking, too. I doubt he is the same one. Perhaps lots have the same mushroom marking, though. He may have been here a little while ago and been scared off by Willem's moving around in his office.
Two more are with him. one has a dark patch on the side of his neck. These three are darker deer than before. They are not so young as the others, perhaps 2yo.
Neck patch is a new deer, but thee two are quite happy to come and eat, taking no thought for their safety, except the usual alertness. I put my hat on, which makes a lot of difference as they can't see me so easily through the door with my white hair.. These two are so comfortable, they remind me of my yearlings. They are certainly comfortable with being here. They saw me move and are more focused on me...well, that was short lasting. The one is coming right up to the bowl on the porch. He has a mushroom and some whiskers. He has tear markings. Their fur coats are so lovely. They remind me of the rugs I made from the hides I tanned a few years ago, the ones the hunters donated to me.
Okay, he left, leaving this other mushroom with whiskers. She's quite skinny. I have my laptop on my lap where I can type while I observe. I've been using my zoomy camera a lot, then my blue underwater one today. Although I filled the feeders around 8 this morning, no deer came until now. What a blessing it is to have these lovely animals visit for the food!
Vertical brow-lines is the only markings on one. Bib has a pupil and is quite mottled with a rust tail
and 2 others are here now. they are being joined now. black neckline scared Bib away. he is eating fast I think the scab on his left leg and mushroom means he is m2. he has dark eyebrow lines, too. he has a scarline on the right side of his face.
So many details to keep straight! The last two just left, it's 5:15pm.
Group 4 (3)
One came up and stood looking this way, but I moved so he disappeared, reappearing on the other side by the hammock, his ears flattened down at another that was appearing on my pathtop. I took photos of them both, especially the newest one whose ears were all I could see.
Chest-Line, The alpha changed places with him. I had to put my gloves on cos he was so cautious and could perhaps see me. 5:33. He's been here for quite awhile but is just coming close enough to eat now. He has a mushroom on his forehead, too, as well as bracket eyebrows. His chest line seems his most distinguishing feature. He has a dark area on the upper thigh area. I don't know if it's a scab, though.
Here comes another one from the left side to join him. I don't know if this is the one this guy drove away, or even if this is the driven away or the previous one.
So what does the other one look like? He's off to my left, so I can't see him without alerting this one of my human-ness. Okay, like the four before, he is standing looking off into the edge of the hilltop. He seems to have many lines across him. They may be just from the cold. His tail is very dark. He is approaching now. he must be quite wary of this one standing eating in front of me, Chestline.
Okay, Chestline went over to another who also had a very dark chestline and tried to suckle her. Then another chestline came up the chute. Then a little while later a Swallowtail with a wider swallowtail marking on his face than the other arrived. He laid his ears flat and he and Alpha chestline mama rose up and stood on back legs, their front legs bicycling at each other. He must be new here, cos he is ver wary of me. I don't think these four are in the same group. I think the three chestlines are, but this one is mighty mean to the others. He's holding his head back, his tongue partly out, smelling me.
I put my head down but it doesn'tfool him at all. The other, the third of the chestlines, came up behind mean swallowtail alpha. Alpha moved over and chestline 3 came over to eat while chestline took the spa position. Another one is eating from the treebench bowl. I'm now sure about that, who that is, though.
These groups seem to be intermingling slightly. One deer from a new group arrives before the last of the previous group leaves.
There is so much going on out here, so much to learn about these deer, who they are, their social patterns, etc. Okay, Chestline 3 is now leaving. Swallowtail Alpha is still here.
Ah, now a Chestline mama was the one at the bowl down there. She left with Chestline 3.
Swallowtail Alpha is sill here. My laptop is reflecting in my glasses and on my face I guess. I have to turn the outside light on soon. Perhaps when this one leaves...but another may arrive to replace him. He's staring right at me.
Willem's been going out for wood, bringing it in and stoking the fire, all while these deer have been here. Sheesh it's exhausting watching them and trying to figure it all out.
I believe the only one here now is Swallowtail Alpha. He is smelling the smoke from the chimney. I reached out with the litre bottle and turned the outdoor lights on.
I have been filming with my zoomy camera. Another is at the chute.
Group 5 (3)
This one has come up alone. My laptop may be illuminating my face, Two more are in the spa and he is on the teacup trail near the fist of the four empty bowls. He looks like one of my four yearlings.
Two of them are here at the bowls now. One is eating what's on the snow around the bowl, as is the other. The second looks smaller and thinner than the first. She as made it up to the first bowl filled with food. I don't see any hip bones protruding.. I feel more invisible now that the light is on outside and not in here. This second one has a black dot between his eyes. His name is now Black dot. I'm not sure if I know this deer or not, but it didn't take them long to get up here to the bowls. The fist of the two is still licking up the grain on the snow.
I can't believe how many deer we have! The fist days I thought it was the same yearlings that were coming so many times in the day. Now I an see how many we actually have. Ah the third one in the group is coming up behind the second, startling the fist and second, but only a little. He has his back foot in the rubber bowl.
I called Jen on facetime to let her see the deer in my yard and watch them. she's at playgroup with the children.
I shone the light on my face so she could see me, but the deer saw me, too. So I've dimmed the light away from me again.
It's interesting how the deer will stand with one back leg outstretched behind them like they are frozen mid stride.
I'm learning so much about deer behaviour! It's wonderful!
6:30, Now they are all gone. It's kind of a relief that I don't have to be so careful how I move. But as soon as I sit forward to check, I see others in the spa. Not now, though. Whew. Two and a quarter bowls are full. The closet to the house are the only ones that are left, as usual! I have the Stealth Cam in the snow just outside the door.
I hooked the afghan on the hinge and the door handle and turned the heat up on my feet and ankles. I guess they were getting pretty cold.
Ginny came home to get some stuff with one of her old friends. While they were here, two deer came. One was Wolf, and I think the other was dot, but I'm not convinced. The dot was only one hair, while the other deer called Dot has a dime-sized white dot on her forehead. They were here long enough to empty two bowls.
Group 2 (3 deer)
I went out and refilled them around 3:30. Around 4, three more deer arrived, arrove, each with the mushroom shaped cloud marking. One was Underbite, who also has a V missing from the edge of the flap of his left ear. The other two were twins with their mushroom markings. I suppose they are a family.
Group 3 (3 deer)
Now at 4:37, here is another arrival. He has a mushroom marking, too. I doubt he is the same one. Perhaps lots have the same mushroom marking, though. He may have been here a little while ago and been scared off by Willem's moving around in his office.
Two more are with him. one has a dark patch on the side of his neck. These three are darker deer than before. They are not so young as the others, perhaps 2yo.
Neck patch is a new deer, but thee two are quite happy to come and eat, taking no thought for their safety, except the usual alertness. I put my hat on, which makes a lot of difference as they can't see me so easily through the door with my white hair.. These two are so comfortable, they remind me of my yearlings. They are certainly comfortable with being here. They saw me move and are more focused on me...well, that was short lasting. The one is coming right up to the bowl on the porch. He has a mushroom and some whiskers. He has tear markings. Their fur coats are so lovely. They remind me of the rugs I made from the hides I tanned a few years ago, the ones the hunters donated to me.
Okay, he left, leaving this other mushroom with whiskers. She's quite skinny. I have my laptop on my lap where I can type while I observe. I've been using my zoomy camera a lot, then my blue underwater one today. Although I filled the feeders around 8 this morning, no deer came until now. What a blessing it is to have these lovely animals visit for the food!
Vertical brow-lines is the only markings on one. Bib has a pupil and is quite mottled with a rust tail
and 2 others are here now. they are being joined now. black neckline scared Bib away. he is eating fast I think the scab on his left leg and mushroom means he is m2. he has dark eyebrow lines, too. he has a scarline on the right side of his face.
So many details to keep straight! The last two just left, it's 5:15pm.
Group 4 (3)
One came up and stood looking this way, but I moved so he disappeared, reappearing on the other side by the hammock, his ears flattened down at another that was appearing on my pathtop. I took photos of them both, especially the newest one whose ears were all I could see.
Chest-Line, The alpha changed places with him. I had to put my gloves on cos he was so cautious and could perhaps see me. 5:33. He's been here for quite awhile but is just coming close enough to eat now. He has a mushroom on his forehead, too, as well as bracket eyebrows. His chest line seems his most distinguishing feature. He has a dark area on the upper thigh area. I don't know if it's a scab, though.
Here comes another one from the left side to join him. I don't know if this is the one this guy drove away, or even if this is the driven away or the previous one.
So what does the other one look like? He's off to my left, so I can't see him without alerting this one of my human-ness. Okay, like the four before, he is standing looking off into the edge of the hilltop. He seems to have many lines across him. They may be just from the cold. His tail is very dark. He is approaching now. he must be quite wary of this one standing eating in front of me, Chestline.
Okay, Chestline went over to another who also had a very dark chestline and tried to suckle her. Then another chestline came up the chute. Then a little while later a Swallowtail with a wider swallowtail marking on his face than the other arrived. He laid his ears flat and he and Alpha chestline mama rose up and stood on back legs, their front legs bicycling at each other. He must be new here, cos he is ver wary of me. I don't think these four are in the same group. I think the three chestlines are, but this one is mighty mean to the others. He's holding his head back, his tongue partly out, smelling me.
I put my head down but it doesn'tfool him at all. The other, the third of the chestlines, came up behind mean swallowtail alpha. Alpha moved over and chestline 3 came over to eat while chestline took the spa position. Another one is eating from the treebench bowl. I'm now sure about that, who that is, though.
These groups seem to be intermingling slightly. One deer from a new group arrives before the last of the previous group leaves.
There is so much going on out here, so much to learn about these deer, who they are, their social patterns, etc. Okay, Chestline 3 is now leaving. Swallowtail Alpha is still here.
Ah, now a Chestline mama was the one at the bowl down there. She left with Chestline 3.
Swallowtail Alpha is sill here. My laptop is reflecting in my glasses and on my face I guess. I have to turn the outside light on soon. Perhaps when this one leaves...but another may arrive to replace him. He's staring right at me.
Willem's been going out for wood, bringing it in and stoking the fire, all while these deer have been here. Sheesh it's exhausting watching them and trying to figure it all out.
I believe the only one here now is Swallowtail Alpha. He is smelling the smoke from the chimney. I reached out with the litre bottle and turned the outdoor lights on.
I have been filming with my zoomy camera. Another is at the chute.
Group 5 (3)
This one has come up alone. My laptop may be illuminating my face, Two more are in the spa and he is on the teacup trail near the fist of the four empty bowls. He looks like one of my four yearlings.
Two of them are here at the bowls now. One is eating what's on the snow around the bowl, as is the other. The second looks smaller and thinner than the first. She as made it up to the first bowl filled with food. I don't see any hip bones protruding.. I feel more invisible now that the light is on outside and not in here. This second one has a black dot between his eyes. His name is now Black dot. I'm not sure if I know this deer or not, but it didn't take them long to get up here to the bowls. The fist of the two is still licking up the grain on the snow.
I can't believe how many deer we have! The fist days I thought it was the same yearlings that were coming so many times in the day. Now I an see how many we actually have. Ah the third one in the group is coming up behind the second, startling the fist and second, but only a little. He has his back foot in the rubber bowl.
I called Jen on facetime to let her see the deer in my yard and watch them. she's at playgroup with the children.
I shone the light on my face so she could see me, but the deer saw me, too. So I've dimmed the light away from me again.
It's interesting how the deer will stand with one back leg outstretched behind them like they are frozen mid stride.
I'm learning so much about deer behaviour! It's wonderful!
6:30, Now they are all gone. It's kind of a relief that I don't have to be so careful how I move. But as soon as I sit forward to check, I see others in the spa. Not now, though. Whew. Two and a quarter bowls are full. The closet to the house are the only ones that are left, as usual! I have the Stealth Cam in the snow just outside the door.
I hooked the afghan on the hinge and the door handle and turned the heat up on my feet and ankles. I guess they were getting pretty cold.