Week of Nov. 17, 2013

Two photos tie this week, both from the same hike at Whiskeytown Lake:

I noticed this berry for the color in its leaves, not for its defenses. It looked unassuming from above, with the standard thorny stems. It wasn’t until I got down on it’s level, looking for a more interesting angle, that I saw just how far this plant goes to protect it’s precious leaves.

My second encounter came when this yearling accidentally approached me. At first we were both unaware of the other’s presence. But he made a noise when he was about 30 feet away, drawing my attention. He finally noticed me when I turned to the noise, and immediately froze. For the next ten minutes, any move on my part would elicit a nervous flinch and another frozen pose. As long as I remained still, he was content to nervously munch acorns.