Antlerlessness

A busy day around the pond. Some mallards launched noisily off as we went onto the porch for breakfast. They must have spent the night in high grass at the back of the pond. A favorite spot for transient avian overnighters. Free of charge. A male wood duck suddenly showed up in mid-afternoon. It swam alone for a while. Migrating birds seldom fly solo. So we speculate that its mate might be preparing a nest in a tree somewhere. Wood ducks are tree dwellers. Another pair of wood ducks splashed down shortly before sunset. Night guests, I assume.

The geese are expecting. She warms a nest on the island as he floats, asleep and oblivious. She will come off the nest at sunset and do a brief pas de deux around the island with him before returning to the nest. This pair has become annual visitors. Geese mate for life and tend to return each year to the place of their origin. Or to a luxurious venue like Hideaway Pond. Nothing more on that front but to play a waiting game. 28 days. Sitting on eggs. What a great life!

A young buck wandered by during late afternoon. Sans antlers. Which, in the case of a young buck, are “buttons” (small knobs, the beginning stage of antler development). Or “spikes”, which are–well–spikes (the next stage of antler development). Buck deer lose interest in sex and drop their antlers after rutting season (late autumn or early winter). Which can be rather embarrassing to a sensitive young buck. Full antlers are usually displayed in late summer by slightly older and more self assured male deer. However, our young friend will be happy to know that white deer antler is one of the fastest growing materials known to man. Men who really care about such things. As you can see in the photo, he looks a bit shabby because he is changing from his winter gray wardrobe to his classy summer rust hued regalia. Meanwhile, he may be a bit embarrassed by his naïve youth and semi-nudity. And antlerlessness. As wouldn’t we all.

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