We were driving over for dinner with friends who live down the beach and as we turned into their driveway, we saw a doe and baby fawn. The little one couldn't have been more than a few hours old. It wobbled a bit as it followed mom across the driveway. When she saw our car (stopped), Mom spooked and ran into the woods, then stood an watched carefully. Little one tried to walk but was so wobbly/tired, it laid down instead. We parked the car at the top of the driveway to protect it from any vehicle (though none were expected) and carefully walked by it hoping mom would come back. Jim went out to check about an hour later and fortunately (we think), it was gone. We're hoping it was mom who came back for her little one, after it'd had a chance to rest, and not a predator -- we usually don't get coyotes or foxes below the bluff where our properties are.
Extras album: a sunset
@homeschoolmom It was, in a way, but the way the houses are here is that each one sits at the front of 10 - 12 acres so that mostly it's woods. I can see how an animal may not be able to distinguish a driveway from a footpath. Even the 'main' road through the area is just a dirt path. What was so spooky is that if we hadn't seen the mom, we might have hit it as he blended in totally with the leaves on the ground. He was SO cute we just hope he's off somewhere hidden safely in the woods. Last year I ran across one in the rough on the golf course!
Nice capture and story. I'm sure that the fawn was doing what comes natural when when there is a predator around (the car!) - just lie low and lie very still. Fav
What a beautiful little foal - so tired and so new!! Well done for protecting it and I am sure it's mum came back for it and it's now safe. Can't think about predators - too awful!! Great image Taffy and lovely story!! Fav!
That's their best protection, I think. Sometimes their mothers park them places like this. Apparently they have very little scent, so if you can't see them, they're pretty safe just lying still. The predators smell the parents...
@jyokota It was pretty amazing...I could have been even closer, but didn't want to spook the mom away from it. And of course, I hadn't brought my camera with me. AGH!!! Thankfully Jim had his iPhone and let me use it. But think of the shot with a 'good' camera!
@francoise Francoise-of-the-Woods knows whereof she speaks! I was going to say, "This is such a dear picture"...and winced at the realization it sounded like a dreadful pun! A couple of years back, as I was picking lupines off a country road (so NOT Southern California!), Ken spotted something, and went for a look...and like this, it was a newborn fawn. He called me to take photos, which I did, without getting too close, and we then walked quietly away. Ken said he was sure we were being observed from a nearby stand of trees, but having grown up a country boy himself, he knew about the scentless fawns and how they blend into the foliage until they can stand. I think this little one soon ambled away, but not before you got this sweet photo.
@kt8ird Thanks Kate -- I had the same situation in that I didn't have my camera. This is my husband's iPhone and I was so surprised at the quality. I did a little editing in LR with it, but was relieved it came out as well as it did. Seeing one nursing would be really special.
I'm pretty sure I remember seeing on a nature show or reading somewhere on a website that it's a myth the parent will reject a newborn with human scent- but as always better safe than sorry! I've seen babies a few hours old with their moms in my woods. It's quite a lovely sight until I remember they will grow up intent on eating my lilies! hehe Good shot for an iPhone- but then it just goes to show the saying is true: it's not the camera, it's the one who's holding it that takes the picture.
