Day 142: May 21st – Rainy Day White-tails

Constant rain in cool 61 degree conditions

       When you live in the Hudson Valley, you have to expect the good with the bad.  This weekend was spectacular with bright sunny calm skies and mild temperatures.  Today is payback with rain, heavy at times, and chilly temperatures (considering it is May 21^st!)  We went exploring with the intention of picking up a few waterfowl and little else.  What we did not expect was the number of deer we saw.

       Our first order of business was to pick up a package which our friends Alan and Della had carried up from Florida for us.  As we drove up the hill to their home in Tomkins Cove, we were surprised at the number of deer we found out in broad daylight browsing on folk’s gardens and shrubs.  One of the deer we saw was a young “button buck” with just the beginnings of a pair of antlers starting to show.  These bucks are generally only around 6 months old.  The “buttons” on this buck are pretty well developed, so it may be a bit older than that.  When we arrived at the house, we noticed that much of the greenery around the house was shielded from the deer with wire fencing.  Apparently the deer in these parts don’t have to work too hard for their dinner.

      Moving down to Stony Point Battlefield State Park, we were hoping to find some ducks, geese, or swans using the swampy area at the entrance to the park.  We did in fact find a pair of mute swans and a number of Rough-winged swallows along with a few Robins.  But here again, we were surprised to find still more White-tailed deer browsing in the swamp.  As we drove by, they acknowledged our presence with a casual glance and then went on about their business.  These deer apparently hadn’t heard about the free meals up in Alan and Della’s neighborhood and had to pick their way through some pretty heavy vegetation to satisfy their hunger.

       The plan for tomorrow, which is also projected to bring rain, will be to head up to Newburg to find a Jeucistic mallard duck.  Leucism is a condition of reduced pigment which may cause an animal to look abnormally white.  But more on that subject tomorrow.