Mashomack Musings: Deer of a different color

Don’t wear white after Labor Day.

While I’m not one to heed fashion advice, even I’ve heard this old adage. September is here, with shorter days and more moderate temperatures. We carry a light jacket for those cooler days, or late afternoons with a breeze.

Did you know that animals also follow a wardrobe change? The snowshoe hare and Arctic fox have dramatic changes from brown in the summer to white in the winter to match their environment and help increase their chances for survival.

Likewise, on Shelter Island, subtle changes are taking place in critters’ coats. Like clockwork, deer change their “clothes” around Memorial Day and Labor Day to match the seasons.

White-tailed deer have summer and winter coats. At the end of May, they start to shed. For a couple of weeks they look a little mothy before the adults acquire their sleek reddish hue with thinner and shorter fur.

Fawns are born in May or June, with the familiar white spotted coat. This helps camouflage them against the sun dappled forest floor. As we edge toward October, their new, heavier winter coat comes in, replacing the white spots with an even, brown coat.

The winter coat is a brownish-grey and has two layers. The short, dense undercoat is coupled with longer, hollow hairs which provides excellent insulation. The color does a tremendous job of blending in with the bare trunks and branches in a woodland setting.

As any photographer will tell you, the light is different at this time of year. The sun’s rays are less direct, the shadows a little deeper. Deer are already one step ahead, donning the seasonal color that allows them to seemingly melt into the background while keeping them warm.