Twins

There are always surprises when you live in the woods, and ever evolving ecosystem.  This means that these woods are hardly as natural as they were generations ago. This was unnatural farmland, perhaps owned by a black family, about 80 years ago and has now grown back to woodland complete with invasives and paved roads. My husband even found a broken hand plow from Germany in the woods.  

A change but not uncommon finding was the bottom jaw with tiny teeth of a fawn near our path to the dock.  We had seen buzzards flapping awkwardly onto tree branches in that area, but thought nothing of it as we were packing for a trip. By the time we returned there were just a few bones left beside the jawbones and these were being eaten by beetles. We had not seen any fawns this year and while we have an ongoing battle with the deer eating landscape plants at the driveway entrance, we were also sad not to see the dappled backs of the new young ones with their soft brown inquisitive eyes. Yesterday, while I was making quiche for dinner, I looked out the kitchen window as I often do and saw this young one.

While I went to get my camera and quietly opened the door to the deck, I saw this second one!

Yes, he/she is sticking their tongue out at me. They watched me for a few seconds.  No adult could be seen to snuffle or stamp or flash a tail and warn them, so they just stood.  After a short time, the slightly smaller one of the two turned and decided it was time to retreat back into the safety of the shadows of the trees and was soon followed by the other.

I was glad for the break in cooking and relieved to know that two young ones, who may be on their own, seem to be stable for now.