Dark-eyed Junco

One of our winter visitors. I haven't been using that rock for birdseed, but this bird clearly remembered that there should be seed there - so I put some out for him.

As I was putting out the birdseed first thing this morning I turned around to throw some on the ground to the side of the maple tree and found myself staring at a deer who was staring at me - she was, I swear, no more than ten feet from me. She just stood there and waited for me to throw the seed down - didn't even slightly retreat. If only I'd had a camera at that point in the proceedings! She routinely shows up here with a pair of youngsters in tow. They are more nervous about us than she is. After the three of them ate all the peanuts that were on the ground under the tree they wandered off and I went out to put a bit more out for the - you know - BIRDS. And then back came the deer! Damn! I had to go out and talk with her and explain that while I'm happy to have her getting a snack, she can't have ALL the peanuts. Sheesh.

The extra made me giggle. It's one of the youngsters.