PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE

My Friends, The Deer, Are Back

Week 160 of the photographic documentary of my daily life

I mean, they were never really gone. The deer. They had just disappeared from our meadow. While we saw at least a dozen deer a day back in spring, they disappeared with the warmer temperatures hiding back in the forest.

We still saw them. In the forest. On walks. Across the fields. From the plane. But we couldn’t watch them anymore from our living room window. Until now.

I was opening the window because I had spotted something brown in the meadow. Trying to zoom in with my camera I still couldn't be sure but it must have been one of those large-sized hares.

The light was weak and the skies were still overcast and rainy. Just as I was lifting my eyes from the lens I saw the two deer passing the meadow at the edge of the forest.

Click.

I took a couple of shots as they were moving out of the dark light at the edge of the forest into the open. When I took the picture of them in the open, then only I saw the third deer in the field behind. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared. I never saw it in real life. Only on my camera screen.

And now, while I am nibbling on some cheese and drinking my dad’s red wine, the deer are still there. Peacefully grazing on the meadow. Maybe we’ll see them now more often again. It’ll make me happy.

I know, I shared this picture in last week’s essay already. I must have gotten confused with the days. This is one of my favorite office views here at work.

Lake Brombachsee.

“Großer Brombachsee is a reservoir in the Franconian Lake District in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is fed and drained by the Brombach. Together with its two pre-dams, the Kleiner Brombachsee and the Igelsbachsee, it forms the region Brombachsee.” — Wikipedia

Friday wasn’t the best of days for jumping. Our students had all progressed through the program and were supposed to do their first or second solo jump but the winds were picking up already in the morning.

We decided to do a staff load checking out the conditions. We managed to complete a 9-way formation in the sky but none of us landed on the designated landing area. Yep, the wind. We all landed on the fields behind the airfield.

That was it. First and last load of the day.

Saturday was another mediocre day. We managed to do six tandem loads in between the clouds and before the rain arrived. The afternoon was soaked as you can see raindrops hanging on the lampions in the trailer park.

Sunday was a bust. For work. But not for me. I took my camera out in the rain shooting the little things like this butterfly.

Monday, our usual off day was a rainy day through and through. It never stopped, just slowed down and picked up again. I didn’t do any great photography sessions but captured this buzzard hovering in the sky.

The rain hadn’t stopped yet since it began on Sunday afternoon and continued all Tuesday long. In the morning already I decided to head out regardless.

Equipped with hiking boots and my raincoat, I went for a rainy walk in the afternoon. Taking David’s iPhone with me I dared to capture raindrops on bluebells knowing the phone was waterproof.

Later that evening I was sitting on the desk writing on the laptop when I saw something moving at the edge of the forest. My friends, the deer. And the scene mentioned in the intro happened.

I was happy and excited even if I couldn’t get a better shot as the day was nearly gone and barely any light left.

On Wednesday, we noticed the farmer putting up these poles for birds of prey. I guess he thinks there are too many mice in the meadow. However, the meadow is right next to the landing strip and the helicopter guys often fly around there when practicing accuracy flights.

Two of our crew then went with that red and white tape and wrapped all three poles. Safety first. For everyone up in the air. Pilots and birds.

I’m excited about the poles as I have a great view of them from my kitchen window. I'm curious about what I am going capture over time there. Starting here not with a bird of prey. My mom identifies this little creature as

A female common redstart with still very light plumage. Maybe a young one.

This has been my week in photographs. 7 days. 7 photographs. Anyone can join. Once. Or weekly. It doesn’t matter. We welcome everyone! Dennett started this photography challenge in 2020 and many have participated ever since.

Dennett / Erika / Eileen / K. Barrett / Juan / David / Mia / Susan / LensAfield / Kim / Barbara / Diana / Barb / Sandra / Shruthi / Ellie / Pene / Olive / Gustavo / Jane / Penny / Jillian / Shell / Ivy / Lisa / Lynne

These are the previous weekly photo essays:

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