A Grey White-tailed Deer

It has been a good winter although a slow one in Bird Alley.  No Cardinals, no Redpolls, no Juncos , or Grosbeaks. We have had  a few Tree Sparrows and  one Waxwing.  Recently we have welcomed Pine Siskins and we have lots of American Goldfinch. I have turned my interest to finding White-tailed Deer as they are now coming out of the woods into the open fields.  I have found one location where I am quite likely to find White-tailed Deer and yesterday I saw five there!  Included in the group was one grey . I have never seen a grey-coated deer before that I recall.  A bit of research told me that some deer will have their coats turn grey during the winter, but the grey colouring will be replaced by their regular brown colouring as spring and summer advance.

In the picture above you can see the grey coated deer in the lead and behind the grey deer is a deer with the expected brown colouring.

In the photo below the grey coated deer has just stepped out of the woods. The dark markings on the deer has been created by the shadows of the bushes and trees nearby.

 

I am eagerly waiting for the sighting of my first duck as I have been checking my favourite open pools of water daily now.  My first spring sighting of a Hooded Merganser was on March 07, 2007.,So that early date is a precedent for me giving me hope for optimism.