Sometimes you look for birds but end up with deer, squirrel and rabbit

Roger Simmons,

UCF’s Arboretum has become one of my favorite places to go birding, but I found out you don’t need to see birds to have an awesome outdoor adventure.

That’s what happened over Father’s Day weekend when I went out to UCF early Saturday morning. Strong storms were in the forecast and would arrive in a few hours, but it seemed the birds in the area had already hunkered-down. Across the scrub and forest area, I saw hardly any birds.

While the birds were preparing for the storms ahead, I found out that others at the Arboretum were going about their usual routines.

As I was going down a new trail, I heard a rustling in the palmetto. Moments later, a big female White-tailed Deer appeared, and she proceeded to look me over pretty thoroughly.

A female White-tailed Deer trots across the forest at the UCF Arboretum in June 2023.

Once she apparently determined I wasn’t any kind of threat, she disappeared back into the palmetto and moments later returned with a little fawn.

This White-tailed Deer fawn takes a few tentative steps from its hiding place in the palmetto at the UCF Arboretum in June 2023.

The fawn seemed much more interested in me than the mom had been, and the little one even tried to approach me a couple of times before turning back. We all watched each other for about 10 minutes before I had to leave because of an approaching storm.

This White-tailed Deer fawn keeps an eye on my while I am watching it at the UCF Arboretum in June 2023.
Look at the eyelashes and whiskers on this little White-tailed Deer fawn at the UCF Arboretum in June 2023.

But while watching the deer, I also spied an inquisitive Eastern Gray Squirrel – who had paused for a few moments to watch all of us.

This Eastern Gray Squirrel was watching me watch some White-tailed Deer at the UCF Arboretum in June 2023.

While heading back to my car, I also came across a group of Eastern Cottontail Rabbits who scattered after seeing me. I did get a picture of one – and it really showed how well they can blend in with their environment.

This Eastern Cottontail Rabbit blends in well with the forest floor at the UCF Arboretum in June 2023.

Yes, my birding trip didn’t have any birds, but it was still a great day to be outdoors.

POSTSCRIPT

The day after I visited the deer, I went back to the UCF Arboretum and did see lots and lots of birds. All seemed to be out and about after the previous stormy day.

As was I leaving, I happened to glance to my left and noticed someone was watching me. It was a male White-tailed Deer, growing back his antlers and peeking out from the palmetto.

Sometimes you don’t know who’s watching you. I spotted this male White-tailed Deer keeping an eye on my while camouflaged in the scrub at the UCF Arboretum in June 2023.

I’m not sure if he was related to the mom and baby I saw a day earlier, but I hope he was so that I could say I saw the whole deer family.

All Not Birds UCF Arboretum

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