White-Tailed Deer

49 degrees
Overcast
Rain predicted

Yesterday, when I refilled the bird feeder, I was amazed at the number of deer tracks in the snow when I haven't seen any deer around.

Today, I saw two White-Tailed Deer passing through my backyard.  I took one photo through the window, but they did not stick around when I went outside and tried to get closer for a photo op.  They went right up the hillside (mainly boulders) and ran through the snow of the neighboring yards to escape.  It was fun to watch them leaping through the snow.

Jump shot!

The sun came out around noon, so I took an earlier lunch break than usual and thought I'd see if I could get into the parking area at Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary.  Others had gone before me, so the snow was well packed down, and I knew I wouldn't get stuck, but the sun disappeared behind some very threatening clouds before I even got out of the car.

I wore my Microspikes over my hiking shoes and for the most part, stayed on top of the snow pack (thank you to the snow-shoers) through the woods.  Down near the dam, though, I was sinking into the snow with every step and feeling its chill around my ankles.  To top it off, the sky opened up and it down poured.  I pulled the waterproof cover over my camera bag and turned back.  It didn't last long at all, and rain is preferable to snow at this time of year!

The only bird calls I heard were Black-Capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice.