Three doe, which I see most outings in our woods, eased off into the brush this afternoon, as the dog and I began another birding trip around our loop. They flicked their tails a bit but we passed them quickly and let them be. But it did get me thinking about non-bird stuff we see every day while birding.
This morning while birding at the local reservoir, I found a beaver “slide”cut down an embankment where the animals slide the smaller trees they have felled. The beavers were elsewhere but had been getting ready for winter.
It brought to mind a delightful experience last week at Berlin Pond where I noted some movement far across the water. I got my scope set up and saw a couple of “sea serpents” cavorting through the shallows. I kept looking, not believing the length of them and the long pointed tails that entered the water last as they undulated, seemingly chasing one another. I was wishing for one of my naturalist friends to come by and help me figure it out — it was my first good look at River Otters in action. Of course, when I went to the truck for the camera, they moved into the reeds — but it was a neat moment.
We have had a young buck on our property this year — I saw him earlier when his antlers were in velvet. Penny and I jumped him again the other day and he loped a quarter mile to the hillside across from us and posed. Here is the very long distant shot I took:
Perhaps the most interesting observation this year was two weeks ago, early in the morning as it was just getting light, as Penny and I just started out from the house. I saw some movement, black fur, and thought, “Great, a bear cub.” I got my binoculars on it to see a Fisher Cat watching me. I wasn’t sure of the identification until it turned to move away and I saw the long black tail. Fortunately, the dog was engaged elsewhere and never saw it. It was the first one I’ve ever seen and quite a start to that walk.
So, the things we’ve seen before in our woods but not yet this year include porcupines, a coy dog, raccoons, several black bears, and a big bull moose. Given the fact that the Vizsla is always roaming with me, I’m fine with not seeing them again.