On my walk home from work today, I saw seven deer.

As I entered Sudbrook Park, I heard a big crash-- a buck and a doe leaping through the trees, then dashing across the creek, where they proceeded to stare at me in a most perplexed fashion. A minute later, two more further down the path, and I only saw the whites of their tails as they bounded away.

I was looking to the right after them, and almost didn't notice the gray buck about fifteen feet to my left. He was a young guy, probably about two years old, judging by the rack. And he was staring right at me, with two does close behind. I froze and just looked at him, trying to be as nonthreatening as possible. I didn't want to do anything that would spur him to heroics in front of his women. But he just looked at me for a minute, then dipped his head and walked away towards his does. That's probably the closest I've been to a deer, discounting the buck that almost knocked me on my ass last year.

I also saw a coal-black squirrel and a pair of mating cardinals.

It must be the weather.