White-tailed Deer Fawns in North Carolina

We have observed four fawns on three separate occasions in our yard this summer. In all cases, the fawns were alone. I was guilty of having a fantasy idea of deer parentage where the mother stays close to her offspring. This is very far from the truth.

For the survival of the fawn, the mother deer spends very little time with it. Does hide their fawns, return to feed them quickly and leave them alone. This helps the fawns remain scentless-the way they are born, reducing the chance a predator will sniff them out. Once the fawn is strong enough to keep up with the mother, they will forage together.

Sometimes fawns will bleat for their mother. The sound reminds me of a toy car beeping. One year, I heard the beeping sound for a couple of days before spotting the fawn. I thought the young children next door had a new toy.

Many people think a lone fawn is abandoned when this is normal deer behavior. The best response is to stay away from the fawn, allowing the mother to return on her schedule. Try also to keep any dogs from upsetting the fawn.

Other interesting facts:

White-tailed deer have 1-3 young

Twins are often hidden in separate places

Fawns are weaned after 8-10 weeks

Female young stay with the mother for 2 years

Male young leave after 1 year

If you are interested in hearing the fawn’s call, this video has 3 bleats recorded. Sorry for the shakiness and background talking.

Rabbits exhibit the same behavior towards their young. They leave them alone in the nest except to nurse so they remain unscented.

Auburn University has a good publication on fawns.

Leaffooted Bugs: Bugs all over my Yucca Plant

Their movements were in slow motion so I almost didn't notice the brown and red shapes on the yucca pods adjacent to my deck.

Leaffooted Bugs - the red ones are nymphs

In the enlarged photo above, the leaf shape of the hind leg is visible. These bugs are known for emitting a foul smell when disturbed. They suck plant juices. 

The activity on the yucca pod resembled more of a family reunion than a feeding frenzy. If the individuals moved at all, it was very slow.

Reference:

http://ipm.ncsu.edu/ag295/html/stink_bugs_and_leaffooted_bugs.htm

More birdwatching while on vacation in North Carolina

This year we vacationed between Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. We were entertained by some amazing birds.

Barn Swallow

Barn swallows are stunning little birds with forked tails. This one flitted around and under the dock we were standing on, and  posed on a nearby pylon. I've observed barn swallows around lakes as they swoop up insects, and my neighbor has a colony in his old barn. They build mud nests under bridges and in barns. This is the first time, a barn swallow has been still enough for me to photograph. Interestingly, barn swallows migrate to South America for the winter. 

Willet

Small groups of Willets worked the shore looking for tiny crabs. This bird is native to the Eastern Coast of the United States.

Least Tern

Like many other tern species, the Least Tern migrates from South America. They are endangered in many North American locations. We observed this feisty little bird diving into the water after small fish. 

Laughing Gull

The Laughing Gull has a completely black head. They constantly call to each other which I suppose explains the laughing reference.