A Lily Fan captured 4 ½ minutes of Holly and Lucky. Holly becomes active at the 2-minute mark. At the 3:17 mark, there is a transformation. 
Deer faceThe infra-red lights go off and the picture turns to color and good visibility of the two of them sleeping. Not seeing a lot of interaction between them this year. https://youtu.be/lQSWVLk9ZXQ
At the Wildlife Research Institute, it was a day of deer. The bear scale becomes a deer scale in winter with corn as the treat. As other deer waited their turns, this doe, the largest of the bunch got on weighing 162 pounds. She looks a lot bigger because of her winter fur. Deer shed in spring and fall.
Deer lickingThe summer coat has short (~1 inch) slender, solid (not hollow) hairs, maybe 5,000 per square inch. There is no underfur. The summer coat serves as protection and camouflage while allowing air movement and cooling. Deer have few sweat glands.
Now, in winter, they have a totally different coat. There are only half as many guard (outer) hairs that are hollow and over twice as wide and twice as long as the summer hairs. These air-filled hairs trap warmth and can be pilo-erected to trap even more, but their wooly winter underfur provides the most insulation. These short, fine, wavy, densely packed hairs trap a warm layer of air next to the skin. Underfur may be even more insulative in northern areas like around Ely, Minnesota. Deer here can lie down and become covered with falling snow that scarcely melts. On very cold days, the snow can provide additional insulation.
Deer on scaleThe doe on the scale was tolerant of her own fawns (about 68 pounds each), but other deer and fawns knew to keep their distance and were ready to run. The mother is a chaser, and she gets her share of corn.
The female hairy woodpecker carried a piece of suet to an old hole but placed it by the entrance to peck apart. By the time I grabbed the camera, it was down to the small white spot by her foot.
With sunflower seed hearts, one of the males has a short-cut modus operandi. Next to his favorite seed pile, he has a couple favorite crevices in the wood where he stuffs the seeds to hold them in place as he pecks bits from them.
Hairy woodpecker femaleIt’s intriguing to watch animal minds at work out the window, but I miss a lot while concentrating on typing.
Breaking news just now. The big Hinckley Gathering that is usually in fall is moved to April 22 at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota, noon to 5 PM. It costs $30 a person (including lunch) to cover the room, food, etc. Organizer Sarah Zirbes says to bring one piece for the silent auction. This is always a fun event with so many Lily Fans to meet and catch up with. Sarah hit on a good one back in 2010 and has organized the gathering every year since. See more at https://www.facebook.com/events/152868651869191/ Thank you, Sarah!
Thank you all for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center