Hiding in Plain Sight

Some things just seem amazing to me, especially the wonders of nature.

What do you see in this photo?

I took it on one of my early morning walks this past week. I was walking at the time in Bellevue State Park.  I noticed another path along side the one I was on and decided to cut over to it.

It was the path less taken. It wasn't paved as were most of the trails. This one was still rough, dirt and sometimes rutted and obviously not as common to the hikers and joggers and bicyclists who pass through here.

I came around a slight curve and something crossed my path startling me. I realized the something wasn't alone; it was some things. They are in the photo.

I saw what they were and they saw me and froze. The stood perfectly still staring at me.

Can you see them yet? Here is a closer view.

I wanted to take a picture. I walked slowly forward, getting closer to them.

Their eyes were on me, but nothing else moved. There wasn't so much as a twitch of an ear.

I raised my camera and took some shots.

It was incredible how things so large could blend and disappear in a woods depleted of its underbrush and leaf cover by the late fall season. Yet, they practically disappeared and if I had not seen them cross my path into the woods I may not have  known they were there.

And I wasn't very far from them. Can you see them yet?

Only one thing concerned me as I got closer. One of them was a child. Animals, who under normal circumstances would do nothing but hide or run can be quite different when protecting their young. If they perceived me as a threat, would they charge and attack me?

I'm sure animals of this size could inflict heavy damage with their hooves. Would they run and butt me down and stomp me?

Still I came closer.

And they just stared.

I decided enough was enough. I would move on and let them continue on their way as well. As I passed by down the path, the deer on the left walked up to the others. Then they looked back one more time and we said our goodbyes.

Perhaps our paths will cross again on these trails, in the meantime, be careful crossing our roads.