Camera Critters: The Fawns Arrive

The doe featured in last week's Camera Critters usually visits the meadow each morning and evening.  She was there on the morning of June 9th, but did not appear that evening or the following morning, so after the other deer left the meadow on Thursday morning, I checked out some of the nearby woodlands and found her alternating between feeding and lying down.

Doe Resting In Woods After Giving Birth

At first I thought I had arrived in time to witness the birthing process, but closer observation indicated that she had already given birth, as her flanks were sunken.  It is sometimes very hard to tell if they have given birth or not as the abdomen may still be distended for several days after birth and some older does, never quite regain the slim, trim lines that they once had when not pregnant.

She did come to the meadow on Friday morning and I was able to document her appearance.  Compare the photo below with the one of similar perspective posted last week and you will see what I mean.

Doe With Sunken Flanks

 After I time I noticed that she had vanished while I was occupied with photographing another deer, so I went to the area where I found her Thursday and saw her slipping through the woodland.  Suddenly a tiny form stood up, went to her and began feeding.  Light levels were low and I mostly shot video, but what stills I did take at this point were unsharp.

Suddenly she left the fawn and came walking past me.  The fawn turned and ran directly under my video tripod. (I was shooting the still camera hand held, and using the tripod for video)  It was so close that I had to make a few steps backward to get far enough away for the 70-200mm to focus correctly.

Whitetail Fawn Up Close

The fawn stayed there for some time while I took several photographs.  It is always a battle to photograph them in the woodland because of the low light level, which usually requires high ISO settings and low shutter speeds.

Low Light Levels And Contrasty Light Makes Photography Difficult

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