Charlie’s Photos of the Week show a mother’s work is never done, no matter the species.

This week’s series of photos is one great example of why I love living Inside Warren, amid our beautiful Open Space Lands! You just never know when you will be surprised by nature. Do yourself a favor, after enjoying this cute and touching scene, revisit this from different perspectives and I believe you will gain a greater appreciation for the trials and tribulations of motherhood in the wild, and you might also see some similarities with raising our own kids!

FEATURED PHOTO:

This is an exhausted doe that has just dragged her fawn literally across the roadway in FULL FEEDING MODE! OUCH!! They say that “A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words” and I am thinking immediately of SEVERAL WORDS, out of that thousand, that can be applied to our Photos of the Week.  

FIRST WORD: OBLIVIOUS

This Fawn had one thing and one thing only on its mind: “I’m hungry, Mom.”

ADDITIONAL WORDS:  Looking at the Doe, I mentioned earlier the word, EXHAUSTED. How about RELIEVED? This entire scenario probably lasted only several minutes, but, I am telling you, I bet this Doe was thinking, Is this ever going to end?  

I am kind of wondering whether mommy, during this journey, maybe thought, “ARE WE THERE YET?”, all while looking towards the safety of that distant curb!

The Story behind the photos:

I am driving through Panther Valley on Bald Eagle Road and notice two deer and a fawn entering the roadway, out a short distance to my left. I slow down, expecting them to complete the crossing.  One deer crosses quickly, but the mother is being delayed by the slow-moving fawn. Once she gets into my lane, she suddenly stops and I notice the fawn has swung around and is starting to nurse!! (NOTE: At this point I have stopped and scrambling to get my camera!)

I start my camera, thinking that I will only get one shot and they will move. They are still there, and I get a couple of photos. Let me slowly start to move closer with the car. That should get her off the road. We are on a curve and I don’t want to get hit from behind!  I move slowly towards the deer. IT IS OBVIOUS Mommy wants to get across the road, BUT, every time she starts to move (going to my right to complete the crossing) the fawn digs in and pushes up and to the left!! (OUCH!! I have seen deer suckling and that looks like it could be painful for Mommy!!)  The poor mother literally had to drag the suckling fawn across the road!!  The only reason I believe the fawn let go is, when the doe reached the curb, the fawn tripped and then they both made it up onto the grass.

I like the last photo, below, the fawn gleefully prancing away from mommy into the woods! NO CLUE, everything is beautiful!  Not a thought or worry about what just occurred.

FINAL OBSERVATION:  

There are several stories within each photo. I hope you have noticed the trees have leaves!!  I am trying to also warm you up!!  Give you some HOPE!!  We are getting through Winter!! 

I hope you enjoyed this Nature Moment!

Enjoy Your Open Space,

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space
Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman
Allamuchy Historical Society – President