I quickly got dressed and went out to help with the wrangling. She had chased the two of them into the southwest corner of the lot where they could do no damage but also where it was steep, muddy and very hard for me to get to. Nothing to eat there but bush and grass, no flowers. We opened the gate and made our plans. I threw rocks behind them to get them moving towards the far side of the house and Norma followed to keep them moving while I positioned myself to keep them from circling the house again, a game they delight in. It worked! They went out the gate and down the driveway.
It does not appear they have done any harm to Norma's precious flowers or freshly planted tomatoes. We don't think they had been in the yard long but we have no idea where they got in! I will have to try to get up the bank and inspect the fence line. It is not an easy task!
EAGLE!
While I was back there checking out what I could see of the fence from the walkway, I heard an eagle squawk! It sounded close and when I looked up, there it was in the tree above me right behind the house! It was a beautiful yearling, not yet with the white head feathers marking an adult. I went in to grab my camera and it was still there when I returned! Luckily I got a shot from the back because when I walked around the house to try from the front, she/he flew away.
EDIT:
We found the breech! It was in the rolling gate which is made up of a steel pipe frame with horizontal rows of tightly stretched stainless steel wire spaced one foot apart at the top and six inches apart at the bottom. The deer got his nose between two wires and just pushed his way through, stretching and displacing the wire. His brother/sister then followed. It must have hurt!
Now how cool was that...
ReplyDeleteThere are not as many this year and they seem to have abandoned the nest in the tree further up the bank. There are still plenty of them but the count seems down a bit. They mate for life so if something happens to one of them the other does not return. It was great to see this one so close.
DeleteThe deer probably leaped over the fence...they can jump pretty high.
ReplyDeleteThe terrain around here does not allow them any room to take any kind of a run at the fence to jump. Very dense bush. If they could jump, they would when we are chasing them.
DeleteGreat eagle shot. Poor deer, poor Norma. At least the flowers survived this round.
ReplyDeleteI really like that little Panasonic with the Leica lens. And yes, the flowers survived!
DeleteWe used to have a ewe called leaping Lizzie. She could jump a 5 ft fence standing right beside it. Did it just for fun, back and forth! Had to eat her before she taught the rest of the flock. We gardeners have no sense of humour when it comes to wildlife and our flowers! Eat more deer!
ReplyDelete"Leaping Lizzy" became "Eating Lizzy"! Funny story!
DeleteWe found the breech! It was in the rolling gate which is made of steel pipe frame with horizontal rows of tightly stretched stainless steel wire spaced one foot apart at the top and six inches apart at the bottom. The deer got his nose between two wires and just pushed his way through, stretching and displacing the wire. His brother/sister then followed. It must have hurt!
ReplyDeleteCool!
ReplyDelete