Deer with no fear & Signs of Spring!

Yesterday we had proof that spring is coming. We had a pair of Mourning Doves in the pine tree behind our yard. They were the first we'd seen this year and that is a tree in which they nest. So, we're still waiting for our first grackle, but Cardinals are now singing in the morning and the doves are pairing up. Great Blue Herons are also reported returning to a local rookery. Still, we're looking for winter birds. A lot of White-winged Crossbills have been reported and one winter some stayed in Lake View. We are checking the hemlocks, their cones a favored food source. Yesterday we made a quick check before closing time as it was sunny and gorgeous. We didn't see many birds, but did encounter a group of four bold suburban deer. Newly planted trees in Lake View now have wire protection to prevent deer feeding on them. One of my photos seemed a good choice for a creative techniques challenge on blending with gradients. The tutorial was for PSE, so I had to wing it in PSP.

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Designer Credits:
-background, pale paper, star: Oscraps Collab Homespun
-patterned paper (blended), word art (blended), painted cluster: Photographed in Black & White by Sue Cummings
fonts: Davida Bd BT, Pea Beth