Saturday’s Critters – Oxley Nature Center

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On my hike out to Oxley Nature Center I cam across this little critter. I may be wrong but I think this white-tailed deer is a yearling. It kept looking over to our right and I saw what I think was its mother.

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She wandered over to where the young one was. They didn’t run off. They were grazing and moving slowly away from me.

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Meanwhile I spotted dad he was way away amongst some underbrush in this tightly cropped photo which explains why it is so grainy. We all love using manual mode on our cameras and looking down on those still using automatic mode. I’ve learned though when going through the woods where the lighting is variable that I am best served in auto mode, without the flash, and using manual focus. Otherwise the camera wants to focus on the tall grass and miscellaneous branches. There you have it!! True confessions.

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I also came across this armadillo. I have seen more armadilllos this year in northeast Oklahoma than I have in the thirty years that I have lived here. What is the deal?

I got a little video of him snuffing around. They are blind and deaf apparently. They look very ancient. I have a feeling that when human kind is goine, armadillos will be rooting around the ruins of our cities looking for bugs and other stuff to eat.

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There were a lot of waterfowl out and about on the ponds and lakes but they were staying way away from me. I’m not much of a bird guy but I think these are mallard ducks. Correcting my ID of these critters will certainly not hurt my feelings.

That’s it for this week. My cats got tired of being featured every week. They want royalties, or at least a food upgrade or some new toys.

I’m linking with Eileen’s Saturday’s Critters. Come join in!!

13 thoughts on “Saturday’s Critters – Oxley Nature Center

  1. Lavender Dreams

    How neat to get to see the whole family of deer. I love that beautiful buck but the young one is special. Enjoy your weekend. Give those cats a treat and take a photo! lol

  2. DeniseinVA

    A lovely collection of wildlife! The armadillo is an ancient looking critter, I didn’t know they were blind and deaf. Loved the deer, especially the one with the antlers looking behind at you. The ducks are always fun to be around too.

  3. Ellen

    Great shots of the deer! Are all armadillos deaf and blind? You learn something new every day. Maybe that’s why you see so many dead ones along the roadside in the south.

  4. Angie

    Alan – great shot of the buck! We know we have lots of bucks around our neck of the woods, but they get pretty skittish this time of year – they seem to know when it is hunting season! I love armadillos – I just think they are so cool with their prehistoric armor and their devil-may-care attitude. I think you are right – along with the cockroaches, they will be here long after we are gone … Thanks for visiting my blog!!!

  5. Natasha

    Always love the gaze deers give us back. That Dad is super handsome.
    And I can’t get enough of your Armadillo images/videos. They are too adorable. Yes, they do seem to take us back to a period of stone age.

  6. Gaelyn

    Nice selection of wildlife, especially love seeing the armadillo. I use auto a lot, especially while walking. Whatever works, and you have that down.

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