The first significant snowfall of the season is always exciting. It’s usually just a few inches, and gone within a few days, but it offers a fresh, new landscape that is rich in subject matter. Unlike mid-winter when landscapes tend to be monochromatic and lack visual variety, a snow-covered landscape in the fall provides a backdrop for colorful plants and all sorts of wildlife activity.
Although I’m currently preoccupied with following the White-tail rut, I couldn’t resist taking my camera for a walk on November 8, in the midst of our first snowfall of the season.
Wild Apple tree with persistent fruit
White-tailed Deer: A mature doe and her two fawns (1 of 2 images)
I featured Winterberry (Ilex verticillata ) in a recent post, but something was missing – winter!
Winterberry Holly
Winterberry Holly
Photos by NB Hunter. © All Rights Reserved.
Nick's Nature Pics 
Wow, you got snow already!! Beautiful pics, I especially love the deers, so cute! 🙂
Thanks!!!
Such great pics!!!
Thanks Barb! Glad you liked them…and thanks for visiting my blog.
Hard to imagine it’s that time of year. That white stuff is an infrequent occurrence out here, but lovely when it does visit for the moment.
When buried in the stuff, I much prefer the idea of “visiting for the moment”!
Growing up in Boston and 14 years spent in Utah taught me well that preference toward “visiting for the moment”! I will send loads of sympathy when you’re buried in it… 🙂
Nick, I liked the first snow pics…Very, very nice.
The snow certainly adds visual perspective to your shots! The winterberry look very Christmassy. It must be a call too for the deer to get along with their rutting routine with winter around the corner? Wonder if the population figures are healthy? Your previous post on the Shaking aspen is also gorgeously rich in autumn foliage … the seasons are advancing.
Thanks for the thoughts and feedback. You are so right about the effects of snow. I doubt I would have been inspired to take any of those shots without it. I might use the “Christmassy” Winterberry for a season’s greetings notecard to friends! I’ve spent well over a 100 hours in a tree stand, observing and hunting White-tails during pre-rut, rut and now post-rut. I now have a ground blind set up near a group of wild apple trees with persistent fruit. It will enable me to hide comfortably, set up a tripod and protect my gear from the elements. Hoping to get some intimate shots of deer feeding, possibly rutting; also whatever else wanders through – grouse, bunny, turkey, etc.