The deer are present much of the time, in 2 and 3s, boys together, girls together. The bucks have finished shedding their antlers, some of the does must be pregnant, but it’s hard to tell. They are all looking scruffy, not so much skinny from the hard winter – but scruffy from shedding their brownish-gray winter coats in clumps and tufts, while underneath the beautiful bright brown awaits.
This is the first winter, hard though it was, that I saw chipmunks every few days. Mostly before, they go down at the end of October, pop up late February to mid March. Those little tails, sticking straight up, can’t be missed, especially when they are moving fast across the garden. They have really messed up the front yard, by building tunnels underground out there, rather than just in the stone walls.
Lots of birds as always – some migrators are showing up – and the cowbirds, who usurp other people’s nests for their eggs. This is flicker and woodpecker time. The many finches are eating like crazy. The barred owls are talking to each other all night long – they are loving this full moon. And my cardinals are so heart breakingly beautiful.
Living in the woods is such a precious gift. Aaaaahhhhh.