Hello, Bambi

"Whoa, hello, Bambi!" That exclamation from the bus driver gave me about 5 seconds of warning before my bus zoomed past a deer on the side of the road during my morning commute last week. I turned my head and caught a glimpse of a beautiful doe bounding up a slight incline. I have to confess, it made me smile and brightened my day.

Living in an urban environment, I often forget about the abundance of nature that surrounds us. From common backyard birds - robins, goldfinches, cardinals, chickadees and blue jays - to species we may think of as pests - squirrels and raccoons come to mind - wildlife lives alongside us every day.

We often think about connecting with nature in the context of getting away, spending a weekend at the cottage or visiting a park. This summer, I've resolved to take more time to appreciate what's in my own neighbourhood; when I stop to smell the flowers, I'll also be keeping an eye open for urban wildlife.

Thanks to Philip Daikens for sharing his wildlife sighting this spring.

Philip writes:

"The deer was about 50 yards from my aunt's back yard in Kitchener, Ont. This hill is the back side of a ski slope, we had a birthday party in progress which didn't seem to disturb the deer at all. It grazed along the hill side for about 15 minutes, the kids and I had just been to the top not long before it arrived."

Photos: Chipmunk, Rhonda Sutherland; Deer, Philip Daikens