So ever since I went Kayaking up the creek in May, I've been itching to do it again. With June being such a wet month and water levels surpassing that of May, I figured I'd go again this morning. I arrived early again just before 7am and put in at the water overlook just down the trail. Apparently I waited too long as I think the recent hot-spell has evaporated much of the water.
I also didn't account for all the weed/scum growth in these warm summer months and I was struggling to find water deep enough to paddle in. The further I went, the more my ass end was dragging through murky mud and my paddles were not accomplishing much at all. I didn't actually paddle through anything this thick but this is a photo of pond scum that I took later on in the southern end of the creek. I did get to paddle right up to within inches of a big snapping turtle but I had to just call the trip soon afterward.
If I got seriously stuck in this muck, there was no way I was gonna get out to get myself un-stuck. I headed back to the landing a proceeded on an unusually early walk instead. I know I take a lot of pics of snails but this one was kind of cool as the sun was showing right through his body and shell. As I was coming down the east side I just barely noticed a doe quietly eating leaves. As I took out my camera I spotted a small fawn behind her and I got really excited.
Then I spotted a second fawn a bit further in the woods! I started taking tons of pics but the three were quite hidden in the thick and dark woods and my pics were just not turning out. This doe was surprisingly way less apprehensive and protective of her fawns than the one I saw last year. She would sometimes be way ahead or way behind of her fawns but at one point she caught up to stop and groom both of them. Then for a while the fawns even groomed each other! After a following them for long enough, I got to a turn in the path where I figured they might actually pop out of the woods.
Sure enough, mom came out first then the two fawns. They followed her across the paved trail and along the edge of the woods until coming to an open clearing where they grazed along side her on the short grass. This is where I finally got some decent pics of them in clear view. A guy walking his dog on a leash came around the corner and the dog started growling and barking at the deer. Surprisingly the whole group stayed put as the growling dog passed. The fawns seemingly intrigued even ran wildly towards the dog to take a look before abruptly spinning the other way and bouncing off into the woods.
Even as more and more people came by I watched the fawns act completely crazy for a while running crazily into the open space and then hightailing it back to the safe woods. It was like they were testing the waters to see what they could get away with. I like this last shot as it shows how their white spots almost look like racing stripes down their shoulders and across their backs.
I also didn't account for all the weed/scum growth in these warm summer months and I was struggling to find water deep enough to paddle in. The further I went, the more my ass end was dragging through murky mud and my paddles were not accomplishing much at all. I didn't actually paddle through anything this thick but this is a photo of pond scum that I took later on in the southern end of the creek. I did get to paddle right up to within inches of a big snapping turtle but I had to just call the trip soon afterward. 
If I got seriously stuck in this muck, there was no way I was gonna get out to get myself un-stuck. I headed back to the landing a proceeded on an unusually early walk instead. I know I take a lot of pics of snails but this one was kind of cool as the sun was showing right through his body and shell. As I was coming down the east side I just barely noticed a doe quietly eating leaves. As I took out my camera I spotted a small fawn behind her and I got really excited. 
Then I spotted a second fawn a bit further in the woods! I started taking tons of pics but the three were quite hidden in the thick and dark woods and my pics were just not turning out. This doe was surprisingly way less apprehensive and protective of her fawns than the one I saw last year. She would sometimes be way ahead or way behind of her fawns but at one point she caught up to stop and groom both of them. Then for a while the fawns even groomed each other! After a following them for long enough, I got to a turn in the path where I figured they might actually pop out of the woods. 
Sure enough, mom came out first then the two fawns. They followed her across the paved trail and along the edge of the woods until coming to an open clearing where they grazed along side her on the short grass. This is where I finally got some decent pics of them in clear view. A guy walking his dog on a leash came around the corner and the dog started growling and barking at the deer. Surprisingly the whole group stayed put as the growling dog passed. The fawns seemingly intrigued even ran wildly towards the dog to take a look before abruptly spinning the other way and bouncing off into the woods. 
Even as more and more people came by I watched the fawns act completely crazy for a while running crazily into the open space and then hightailing it back to the safe woods. It was like they were testing the waters to see what they could get away with. I like this last shot as it shows how their white spots almost look like racing stripes down their shoulders and across their backs.
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