Two deer standing alertly in marshy intercoastal Martin’s Island, Florida, 2006
The definition for vigilance is: “alert watchfulness; the quality or state of being wakeful and alert – degree of wakefulness or responsiveness to stimuli; the process of paying close and continuous attention” (www.dictionary.reference.com). The North American white-taled deer, Odocoileus virginianus, is a living example of this definition. Anyone who has done any hiking will tell you how hard it is to spot these deer before they spot you, or at least before they are alertly gazing in your direction, seemingly in anticipation of your arrival. As is the case here, most deer in the wild will be found in this vigilant stance. This beautiful brackish marsh scene can be found on Martin’s Island State Park and Nature Preserve, just off the coast of northern Florida. This undeveloped intercoastal island can be accessed only by boat but it is open to the public and well worth the trip. The winding nature trails take you through the shadows of age-old moss covered live oaks and into desolate expanses of salt flats. The day we were their we spotted a bald eagle soaring above this ancient landscape (didn’t get a picture).
