Regular Visitor

Our little band of White-tailed Deer stop by regularly for nuts in the morning. Sometimes they're already there when I finally come out to distribute the bounty, and they have to retreat until I go back in the house. One of them is so bold now, she stands there until I'm practically close enough to touch her before she suddenly startles and runs a short distance away. They come back as soon as the door closes behind me. And then I have to go out later and put some more seed down for the actual birds, because the deer have hoovered them all up! When I want to break up the party, all I have to do is walk over to the door/window with my camera and if the dog sees me he puts two and two together immediately and shoots out the dog door to chase them away. Thus - getting a photo isn't always a sure thing by any means. I have noticed that lately they've learned that he doesn't follow them very far anymore. He used to chase them into the next county when he was younger, but now he's satisfied if they're just not right smack up at the house. So they trot down the hill and stop and just gaze back at him as he goes back inside.

Sad, sad news.