The Buck Outside My Window

“There’s a deer in your yard,” my friend told me.

“I know,” I laughed, “They’re here every day.”

“No. It’s like – right there!”

Yes, the young buck had been making himself at home in my yard. I was accustomed to the evening visits, and the sound of fallen leaves crunching beneath gentle hooves as various deer explored my garden each night. But about a week and a half ago the buck, who was sometimes accompanied by a lovely female companion, had begun visiting mornings and daytimes, as well. One morning, opening my blinds to greet the day, I was surprised to stare out at the backside of a deer, the front side of which seemed to be happily munching on my jasmine plant. Thus began the undeniable presence of the buck, and my foray into learning deer language, dear readers.

Ohh, he tried to hide behind the hedges, but those impressive antlers of his gave him away every time. Contrary to the myth that you can judge a buck’s age by the number of antler points, experts are now estimating age by hooves, teeth and other body characteristics. I knew that the deer were coming down from the hillsides behind my house, most likely seeking relief from the sudden burst of heat the Bay Area was finally getting. While I was concerned for them, they seemed to know how to care for themselves adequately, and weren’t causing damage to the property, other than leaving some deer poops. But, hey, that’s compost the garden appreciates, right?

On a recent evening, I heard a strange sound coming from just outside my front door, and peered out curiously to see what could be causing it. It was the buck, standing still, head high in what I thought must be an alert mode, blowing air through his nostrils. I quickly turned to Google to help explain what I was witnessing, and learned that the young male deer was grunt snort wheezing. Deer blow air through their nostrils when distressed, or when facing off with another deer. I was fascinated by the various methods of deer communication, and surprised that with all of my hiking and camping experience, I couldn’t recall having heard any deer make this blowing/whistling noise. His high head indicated a readiness to face off with another buck (lowered head shows a willingness to chase), but no fight ensued, and after about 15 minutes his snorts finally subsided.

Over the past week I have watched other forms of deer communication, such as the tail flagging, which indicates danger and alerts other deer of the direction to travel, like a little white flag, showing the way to safety. They use the head bob as an awareness of potential threats, and the foot stomp, as an alarm system which can also scare off predators. I have yet to hear the grunt noises that are supposed to arrive with mating season. I’ve found the buck and his cute doe friend to be sweet visitors who lend an enchanted feel to my yard. I’ve welcomed their graceful presence, and appreciate the opportunity to learn more about these beautiful, gentle creatures.

Love and Blessing,

Antonia

Originally posted at http://soulatwork.com/