Deer!

From Ingridients, 15th September


I can't remember if I've mentioned, but about a year ago, deer warning signs were put up on streets near us. We assumed they were jokes when we first saw them. Sure, there's some bushland nearby, and kangaroo warning signs that are really needed not too far from here, but deer? Did someone forget that deer aren't Australian?

Then we found a story in the local community news about them. Apparently, some years ago someone set up a venison farm, but it didn't make enough money, went into receivership, and while the financial stuff was being sorted out, some deer escaped and started making a living on their own.

The thing is, this venison farm was on the other side of the river from us, and the river's over 100m wide here (although I expect there's no current to speak of). But apparently some deer have swum across, and that's what the warning signs are about.

When my parents visited in June, they investigated the river edge pretty closely, and found deer tracks. But they didn't see any actual deer.

Yesterday afternoon I went for a run along the riverpath around sunset, and I actually saw a deer. Well, bits of one. I heard rustling in the tall grass along the path where it veers left to cross a little creek, and then realised that I could see the top of the animal causing the rustling above the grass. My first assumption was that it had to be a kangaroo, but as it turned and quickly headed up the hill, another part of my brain pointed out that kangaroos do not have antlers.

I didn't get to see it for more than a second. I have no idea how big it actually was, but I think it was probably quite young as each antler only had two tips. But it kept me excited for the entire rest of my run. And I hope to get a better look at more deer. This riverpath is so much fun, I'm really happy we live as close as we do to something like it.