On my first visit to Oklahoma’s Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, I saw and photographed quite a few White-tailed Deer, including this buck.
The lighting was awful that first day, with leaden gray clouds blocking the sun. I tried to make the best of the light I had.
White-tailed Deer buck near a Cross Timbers forest edge – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/320, ISO 3200, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
This eight-point buck was near the visitor center at the preserve when I first saw him. He crossed the road and walked to the edge of the small Cross Timbers forest.
When the White-tailed buck stopped, I managed to take several nice images of him standing in the tall grass with the forest behind him. Seconds later, I spotted a doe and two yearlings behind me and turned to photograph them.
That? Was a bit of a mistake. I’ll explain below.
Oklahoma tallgrass prairie White-tailed Deer buck – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/500, ISO 3200, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
What I didn’t see, because I had turned around, was an Eastern Phoebe near the buck as he walked forward. That phoebe flew up, snatched a tick from the chin of the White-tailed Deer buck, and gobbled it down. The phoebe clearly knew it could get food—the tick—from the buck.
My photo above shows the phoebe below the buck’s chin. Can you spot it?
My dear friend and wildlife photographer, Steve Creek, never took his eyes or focus off the buck. He managed to photograph the phoebe with the tick in its bill.
To read more about Steve’s photo of the phoebe and white-tail buck see his post: A Remarkable Encounter: White-tailed Buck and Eastern Phoebe on his site.
I’m sorry I missed taking images of the phoebe getting the tick from the chin of the deer, but it delighted me that Steve was able to catch the action.
I still have more White-tailed Deer photos to share from New Year’s Day at the preserve, when the light was much better. Another day…
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my White-tailed Deer photo plus facts and information about this species.
Excellent job the both of you! For some reason this post is not showing on my FB feed.
How unlucky for you – but it is excellent that Steve was able to catch the action. I suspect the deer was grateful too.
Almost missed your post; you didn’t cross-post to FB. Have you left Zuckerberg’s Folly?
Hi Jim, for some reason FB didn’t show I shared this post early this morning. Once I got back from being out in the field I became aware because of Tim’s and your comment. Maybe Zuckerberg doesn’t like me?