Fallow Deer, Land Between the Lakes

Land Between the Lakes is a patch of land that sits between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake in the southwestern part of Kentucky. It runs north to south between the two lakes. It is only about an hour and a half from Nashville. I decided to visit recently before the cooler temperatures drifted in and the leaves began to change color. I especially wanted to visit the Elk and Bison Prairie.

After a brief visit to the Elk and Bison Prairie, knowing I would stop back before heading home, I drove a few short miles to Hermatite Lake. This is a small lake that sits on the eastern side of Land Between the Lakes. I had hoped to captured images of the Lotus flowers there, but after a short hike realized they were not in an easy spot to photograph.

As I was leaving Hermatite Lake, four White Tailed Deer wondered into the parking area. Except one of the Deer was very very light in color. A quick 'Google' search determined I had encountered a Fallow Deer. The one lighter colored Deer was a Fallow Deer. Fallow Deer are indigenous to Asia and Europe and were imported to the United States back in the early 1900's. There are as few as 150 Fallow Deer remaining in Kentucky at Land Between the Lakes.

They are considered an endangered species and hunters are prohibited from hunting them. Beside being much lighter in color, the other distinctive marking that sets the Fallow Deer apart from their counterpart, the White Tailed Deer, is their large flat antlers. Their antlers resemble a Moose's antlers although I am not sure if they are as large. You never know what you are going to find when you venture out. Amazing find. Back soon with images from the Elk and Bison Prairie. ENJOY!

Whooping Crane, Endangered Species

Ewing Bottoms is overwintering hundreds and hundreds of Sandhill Cranes, which have migrated down from Canada. Yesterday as I photographed the Cranes, water stood heavily in much of the farmland after significant rains last week left the area a bit waterlogged. And as luck would have it one lone Whooping Crane stood amongst the Sandhill Cranes.

Whooping Cranes, an Endangered Species and the tallest bird in North America, are threatened not only by their meager numbers, but also by climate change in the form of warmer temperatures and decreased rainfall. This threat could shrink the Whooping Cranes wetland habitat allowing foxes and lynx easier access to the breed's chicks in northern Canadian. Couple that with their southern winter habitat in Texas, where decreased rainfall and rising sea levels brings less freshwater inflow and potential flooding of the marshlands, and sadly, this species has much to overcome. Given this, I felt blessed to capture several images of this lone Whooping Crane yesterday. Such graceful looking birds. Its solid white body, black head, black legs and red face stood in stark contrast to the grays of the Sandhill Cranes surrounding it. ENJOY!