Saturday, July 20, 2019

Big Buck and Big Bird!


We've had a chance to take a few hikes lately which is always surprising for July! But if we have a rain shower late in the afternoon, the next morning is usually 'tolerable'! So we get up a little earlier and head out! It's usually mid 70s at the start and mid 80s when we finish...which is really HOT! It's very nice when you get home and take a quick shower and sit down with a snack to look at the photos. We have an adapter that connects our cameras to the TV for viewing on the 'big screen'.


We'll start with the Big Buck!


My husband was about 2 steps ahead of me when he froze and pointed into the brush along the trail. 

We took a few photos through the leaves....


 and then we walked a few steps to get a better vantage point.

He was not spooked. The deer here are used to seeing bikes ride by and a few hikers and of course there is no hunting allowed in this area.


He continued to graze, eating leaves and plants as he walked!


What a beauty! And 10 points!!!

 And to include a Big Bird, I'll share photos of 2 Sandhill Cranes we saw at the Pruitt Trailhead of the Florida Trails. 


They were in a shady area and hard to photograph.


 But they sure are beautiful birds!


I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE  

  and I’d Rather B Birdin’.
 
 
 

37 comments:

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Impressive creatures to enliven your walk.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Great captures of the buck, he is handsome. I love the Sandhill Cranes, they are big beautiful birds. Looks like a great place for a walk. Wonderful photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your day and weekend. PS, thank you for the visit and comment on my blog.

Susie said...

Diane, I loved seeing the photos. Wow, that buck looks as if he posed for you in that last picture. Beautiful. Once a flock of the sandhill cranes stopped off in the field across from us and they were wonderful to see. Blessings to you and your husband, stay cool. xoxo,love, Susie

Arlene G said...

Diane, now the animals pose for you!! You get some great shots.

Tom said...

...now that's quite the rack in velvet.

MadSnapper said...

I have never seen a deer in the wild and if I saw this beautiful buck, I might pass out from sheer joy. he is stunning, your photos are fantastic. I bet he looked super on the TV screen

Jeanie said...

What a beautiful big buck. back when I was working at the TV station, we had an outdoors show and the big event of the year was their annual Big Buck contest when hunters brought in their antlers and such. We called it dead deer night and it always bothered me. I understand hunting and keeping the deer population down but oh, I hate to see such beautiful creatures die, even when necessary to prevent disease.

We see sandhills here, too but not as often. These are lovely.

carol l mckenna said...

wow! Such gorgeous deer photos and the sandhill cranes are beauties ~ what an adventure for you and us through your photos!

Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Terri D said...

Wow to that deer!! Beautiful. And the cranes are always great to see. Thanks for taking us along on your hike! Best part is that I'm sitting in the AC enjoying it!

♥ Łucja-Maria ♥ said...

WOW!
Fantastic photos. A great deer, he poses for your photos.
Have a nice weekend:)

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

amazing shots of the deer. Cool.

Lea said...

Wow! Fantastic photos of the deer, and seeing sandhill cranes is really special. I have never seen them.
Hope you are having a great weekend!

Deborah Montgomery said...

Wow, am I out of the loop! I just read all about your blogging woes. That's terrible! I had to laugh at your post title about the behemoth taking down little lavender dreamer. As if you were a threat to anyone! But I'm sure it was not funny at all! So sorry you had to go through all that!

What a beautiful deer! xo

Ann said...

That buck is a beauty. Nice to be able to see them up close like that

Lowcarb team member said...

Just loved all of your photographs, especially the ones of the buck.
Enjoy your weekend.

All the best Jan

Betty said...

Those are some beautiful pictures. Never seen a bird like that up close, but we have deer that comes very close to our house.

Carla from The River said...

Great photos as always. I like when the Sand Hill make the call that they do. We have Sand Hill visit in Wisconsin during the summer months.

Linda said...

An amazing adventure hike!!! I would never see these beautiful creatures if it were not for YOU! Thank you!!

Linda said...

Beautiful buck and the cranes are special too

BeachGypsy said...

That's not REAL, RIGHT!? ha ha LOL Big Buck is wow, so gorgeous, he's standing there so still and regal, you were surely in the right spot at the right time girlfriend!!--GREAT PICTURES! Im going to show these to Mr. Front Porch tomorrow, he will love them too.I love those beautiful antlers.

Phil Slade said...

That was good, to read that there is no hunting in your area. That buck is one beautiful animal and lovely photos too.

Rhodesia said...

Great photos and so nice to be able to get reasonably close. Well done. Have a good day Diane

Anni said...


Oh my how I love deer...the bucks are coming in to velvet! Beautiful. And to see crsnes in July...awesome.
Have a beautiful week ahead, and thanks for joining us at I'd Rather B Birdin'.

It's me said...

Wowwwwwwww beautiful both.....happy sunday love Ria 💕💕

Debbie said...

the cranes are so pretty but i must say that the buck really stole the show today, what a gorgeous animal!! i just love seeing them in the wild, free but slightly tame so we can see and enjoy them too. and a no hunting area, we show not be allowed to hunt them!!

your pictures today are stunning, he was timid for sure and it looks like he enjoyed having his picture taken!!!

Barbara said...

How amazing! The velvet on those antlers looks so soft. And the Sand Hill Cranes! Such good pictures!

riitta k said...

He is a handsome animal indeed! Gread cranes too. Happy Sunday.

happyone said...

WOW that buck is gorgeous!!!

Mary K. said...

Such a magnificent animal and really great shots too!

Red Rose Alley said...

What an incredible sight you came across when hiking, Diane. He's such a wonderful and special animal. Yes, he looks like a Big Buck! And the Cranes with the red feathers on their head are so pretty. I love how he looks in that last picture - it's almost like he's posing just for you hehehe.

~Sheri

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

The Sandhill looks like he's dancing in the second photo! Happy times. Wonderful pix of the buck! I miss Florida ;>)

Sue said...

Absolutely stunning photos, you have the most amazing walks, thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Sue

Nancy Chan said...

The big buck is a beauty. What a beautiful pose. The big bird is really big and beautiful too! That was a wonderful walk.

NatureFootstep said...

wow, you really got great shots of both the deer and the cranes.

The last few years there have been rather many cranes around but not this year. I anly seen a few and never close. And the deers are so shy after all forest been cut down. :(

Tanks for the nice comment on my blog. I too miss the "blogging world". But the blog-world seem to be slowly dying. And widllife too, last years draught did not make it any better. Wishing you more encounters with deers and birds :) :(

BECKY said...

wow! I would never think of deer and Florida in the same sentence! Those photos are just gorgeous. What a beautiful creature. Thanks for sharing, Diane!

Jeannie said...

There is another Jeanie posting so I will call myself Jeannie with 2 letter n's. I loved the pictures of the buck and am amazed how tame they are. You got some great shots.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry...with 2 letter n's in my name.

Ariadne said...

You always meet lovely animals but this deer is absolutely amazing! AriadnefromGreece!