Although we have seen deer in our urban neighborhood and had noticed some plant damage in our backyard, nothing prepared me to see this doe and her fawn out my kitchen window yesterday afternoon. The fawn was nursing for several minutes just a few feet from our house. Mom soon took off over our back fence, leaving the baby alone. I watched the fawn frantically try to find a way to follow its mother, but it wasn't big enough to jump the fence like mom did. Finally the fawn hid itself in some ferns behind the compost bins you see. Apparently, it is normal for deer to leave their fawns alone, for their own protection. I wonder if they are not living in our small backyard. It's always a thrill to see wild animals up close, but it saddens me that these large animals don't have more suitable habitat to live in.
Unfortunately, my good camera was in the car while this scene unfolded, so I had to grab a cheap older camera to record the scene. Note to self for the 100th time: keep good camera within arms length at all times!
