Mule deer fawn

Thank you Lillias. Yes, we feel that we "... are so privileged." We own a most humble RV (caravan) lot and it is far far from a fancy schmancy estate. The deer eat our lilacs, assorted flowers and shrubs and we have to remind ourselves that WE are the interlopers infringing on their turf. We just love it when they come by our lot or we see them eating grass in the parkway below our lot. 

Two evenings ago a couple of long-tail weasels came by. (Got some half-decent pictures considering they were shot at ISO 5,000 and 6,400.) We have mixed feelings about them. They are ferocious mousers, yet they almost certainly eat robin and goldfinch eggs in spring. They are cute as buttons and quite inquisitive. All good.

In and around our small lot, there have been owls, small hawks, deer, rabbits, assorted passerine birds, badgers and 3 Octobers ago a cougar (mountain lion) was captured on my trail camera right in our lot! Fabulous! Every couple of years we see a bear in the development. It is not a pristine wilderness (there is farmland around us), but close to the mountains this is where these critters live. Yes, privileged. Thanks.     

Clive 

"Wow, bears and cougars, camping where you do is not for the faint-hearted!"
Honestly, jackscrap, it is safe here and these sightings (bears/cougars) are most uncommon. I've been working and playing on this part of the world for 53 years and only seen one cougar in the wild plus the one on my trail camera. Yet I've seen paw prints in winter snow on several occasions: they see us and we do not see them. The are very shy and elusive. Same with bears, they are timid and only a danger if ill, with cubs or if they have become habituated to people. A few years ago, in October, we photographed a bear from 20 meters away while it gorged on berries as it fattened for winter hibernation. It was as if we did not exist. We actually got out of our van (with the side door open ) and took photos from outside, ever mindful of what it was doing.