Oh, Look!!

Oh, Look!!

June 8, 2018

We were going to the car to take off for one of our many events during what would be an intensely busy weekend (on this evening, a music session).

I had not been in the woods or down to Cottonwood Pond ever since it filled in with dense greenery.

Longing to be down there, but having no time, I went to the edge of the woods and looked down toward Cottonwood Pond, which then barely peeked through the abundantly leaved tree branches.

Since we had not had much rain yet, there was no distinct shine of gleaming water or sweep of cafe-au-lait-colored Creek and pond to grab my attention.

But, there was a large, rounded, tawny spot that stood out – a shape I had not seen down there below – next to the main pond, partly on the Isthmus.

Could it be?? I tried to focus my eyes better and, realizing my hunch was correct, I reached into my “music bag” in the car for my camera.

Yes, it was!! A doe, a White-Tailed Deer, just resting beside Cottonwood Pond.

As I've mentioned before, we see many deer in our woods, usually moving across the upper, flatter areas on the other side, and sometimes crossing the Creek further northwest. I thought that surely deer would sometimes go down to that bowl of water that I call Cottonwood Pond for refreshment, but I never could find evidence.

This spring I saw hoof prints there for the first time – on the Isthmus and at the muddy beginning of Temporary Creek #2.

And on June 8 I finally got to see one hanging out there, not just passing through.

She was well aware of me, neck stretched straight up, ears perked, whole body stock-still and taut, and eyes piercing through the woods, right into mine.

I watched her a bit, and spoke to her.

But, we had to be on our way. I wondered if she was just resting (and how often she did so) or if she even was expecting a fawn.

Unfortunately, the weekend was so intensely busy that I never had time to go down there, though I did peek down a couple times, without seeing her again. I wanted to go down and see the impression her resting body left in the mud, if any, and her tracks, maybe a bit of hair clinging to mud or twig. I wanted to just be there, where she had been present.

After that day, it rained, and rained, and rained for days, washing away, and even flooding, any impressions or tracks that may have been there. Her presence was just a memory.

Hopefully one day I can stay in the vicinity for a long time, quietly, and she'll steal down to Cottonwood Pond for a drink of water, or to rest again.

It's really not good to be so busy that you miss out on the magic moments. It's not good for me to be so busy that I cannot even walk into my own woodland.

Though there must be a great deal going on at Cottonwood Pond during this time of year that is also very active for wildlife, I will take a break from the blog for a little while. I feel I must re-evaluate my approach to it, come up with a fresh angle, a new method.

But it will return, hopefully soon. And, I expect that I will very soon make it into the woods again, whenever there is a break in the weather, which has been one storm after another.

June 12, 2018