Tag: Backyard

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Chipmunk spotted despite camouflaged stripes blend with forest's edge.

I don’t think I have photographed a chipmunk before. A long time ago I planted tulips and other bulb plants in the garden bed at the front of our home. Whenever I was in the garden cleaning up dried leaves and and pulling weeds I would see a chipmunk scoot across the driveway from our yard to the neighbour’s. I have not seen any on that side of the house. I think they ate all of the bulbs as the tulips have not grown in years.

I noticed a chipmunk scampering around on the deck in the rear of our home but this is the first time I have seen it in the open. It was easing something. I assume it was berries. It scampered around on the soft green moss under the trees before heading for the fence line to forage in the dried leaves.

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)
Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) · 10 April 2024 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

The dark brown to blackish stripes on the back and sides help to camouflage the chipmunk. Once he started scampering around the leaves at the fence line marking the forest edge it became hard to find it for the photograph.

Eastern chipmunks are listed as a species of Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List.

White-tailed buck

White-tailed deer are a common sight in the backyards and roadways of Montgomery Township.

White-tailed deer are a common sight in the backyards and roadways of Montgomery Township. It's common to see deer grazing peacefully on lawns, nibbling on shrubs and plants, or cautiously exploring their surroundings. Montgomery Township also has woodlands, open spaces, and proximity to water sources, which provide a habitat for these deer.

White-tailed deer have adapted remarkably well to the suburban landscapes of this region. However, as deer populations grow, the deer frequently overbrowse, destroying gardens and native vegetation. Efforts to balance preserving the deer's habitat and protecting homeowners' landscapes and the native flora have led to strategies for deer management, which include year deer hunting from September to February.

I saw this young buck through the kitchen window. This individual was grazing on the grass, moving north. I grabbed my super telephoto and stepped onto the backyard deck for a photo. He heard me, stopped to check me out, decided I was not a threat, and then moved on.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) · October 27, 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

In Montgomery Township, most residents don't appreciate the presence of white-tailed deer. They tend to cross roadways at random, leading to many car accidents. Even a tiny deer can lead to hundreds of dollars of damage to a car, sometimes destroying the car beyond repair. I've had many deer accidents in my 20 years of driving in New Jersey.

Black-legged ticks (aka deer ticks) are often found on deer due to the animals' frequent trips into wooded areas and tall grasses where ticks reside. Lyme disease is a significant health concern because deer ticks carry the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. When I am out and about in the woods hiking or for photography, especially in areas where ticks are prevalent, I wear appropriate clothing sprayed with repellents to reduce the risk of tick bites. I also do tick checks and showers after spending time outdoors.