Although I am surrounded by country, I do live “in-town,” as they say. But perhaps it is exactly because open space surrounds us that there is no shortage of wildlife so close to our homes.
Working at my computer just this past June, I looked out front and saw a doe nonchalantly strolling down the street. She did not observe the Stop sign, but continued walking, looking for the tastiest greens she could find. Unfortunately, this is at a particular neighbor’s home who happens to be the most ardent gardener for a few blocks around. Of course! She has the delicacies!
But Ms. Doe wasn’t stopping and no sooner was she out of sight, than she came through the hedges bordering my property and casually walked down my driveway at an angle. This made me believe this may be is who is responsible for the deer tracks I see in the snow in roughly the same places – she must have a route.
Today I looked up and saw … the same doe? a different doe? and her still-spotted fawn. Mama could easily scale that white picket fence for the best nibbles while baby clearly hasn’t yet mastered leaping hurdles. I was able to go outside and get a few shots before the more worried fawn walked further down the road.
While I enjoy watching animals of all kinds, having deer so at-home in our neighborhood isn’t good. They have become accustomed to our smells and sounds and are no longer frightened. The offspring they produce will become even more acclimated to being around people. It is certainly wreaking havoc on our properties as the deer now consume shrubbery and flowers year-round even though there is plenty of browse in the nearby woods and fields.
Sadly, it just creates more enmity towards these beautiful creatures, even referred to by some as “vermin.” It’s a problem for farmers as well as residents and a complex one, yet it is we who have taken more and more of their land through endless development. It’s not a problem with an easy solution.
Meanwhile, I truly do enjoy seeing them even though they have “deer-scaped” the plantings around my home as well.
Still A Dreamer 
At least you don’t have raccoons defecating on your porches! A fellow blogger in MN has a family of foxes in her yard. I am getting a trap set up this week, as this raccoon has killed the nestlings of Robin’s last two nests! She suffers in silence today, as her mission was cut short yet again. I am for the birds, NOT raccoons!
LikeLike
It’s frustrating when wildlife gets that close and makes a nasty mess and kills other animals. Trapping and relocating is the way to go.
I am similarly frustrated by the number of baby birds of all kinds that get killed around here because numerous cats are outside full or part-time. I wonder if any survive, but no one is going to bring their cats in. Sad, really.
LikeLike
There should be a law in place regarding marauding cats. I have the same problem; just found the feather leavings from cat predation in my yard while I was away from the property. Have asked for years for one particular neighbor to mind their cats, yet they ignore me. Selfish ingrates! The only way to protect birds is to pass a LAW disallowing cats to roam.
LikeLike
Although I might make an exception for barn cats – maybe that owner has to have a certain amount of acreage to have outdoor cats – I agree. It’s an established fact that there has been a significant decline in songbirds due to the predation of outdoor cats.
LikeLike
They are such beautiful creatures, and you captured some lovely photos! I chuckled at your term ‘deer-scaping’ that I too suffer from, although our grazers are mostly long-shoed hares (aka Jack-rabbits).
I enjoy these comments you two have started here, and agree wholeheartedly. I adore robins and the magpies know they’re not welcome in my spruce and lilac trees because they are a major predator of young robins. Clapping, waving a towel, and throwing pinecones has been enough to scare them off. They use slingshots in the Bird Sanctuary but I’d best not, for fear of missing and taking out a window! I’m so glad I don’t have raccoons in my neighborhood.
In my city there IS a law with a $250 fine for allowing your cat to roam free so that helps reduce the roaming cat dilemma. Plus those hares bring coyotes into the neighborhoods, who undoubtedly help keep the free-range cat population in check too!
Oh the drama and excitement of resident wildlife! Thanks for sharing this great post. Gina
LikeLike
A related and hot topic of debate in NJ is the establishment of feral cat colonies. These colonies do save lives … of the cats … who are all neutered, vetted, etc., but where there is a colony of 20 or 30 cats, I’m sure there is a resultant decline in birds as well. Everyone loves some kind of animal, and it’s difficult for everyone to come to agreement on who should survive and who not. It can be hard to see the bigger picture, sometimes.
I bet I would love seeing jack-rabbits hopping around, but I’d also become less enchanted as they ate through my garden.:-) jeanne
LikeLike