joeg99 的鑑定

I was recording the song of an Acadian Flycatcher when a Deer started to sneeze about 25 meters behind me in the woods. I was sitting on the ground with my stereo microphone on a tripod. The Doe with one Fawn kept "coughing," or whatever one can call it, so I turned my microphone in her direction. I have long wanted to get a recording of the sounds that Deer make. I have heard the term "Buck Snort," but this sound, which I have heard in the woods many times, looks and sounds most like a sneeze to me. It is not a vocalization (with vocal cords) as such. I have seen, up close, young Fawns bleat almost exactly like a Lamb when they feel alone, worried, or separated from their mother.

This "sneeze" is usually a surprise to me in the woods, coming from a direction that I have not been facing, apparently when a Deer becomes aware of me, or rather becomes disturbed by my presence. I can't quite tell what it means, what it's purpose is. Is it an alarm to alert other Deer that there is an intruder or danger? If so, it is not actually very loud, and why would a Doe call out fourteen times over two minutes and eighteen seconds while basically standing still, before deciding to take her Fawn and bound away to safety?

I have this entire amazing performance on video with stereo sound. Doe looked nervous, staring at me and blowing these raspberries at me, weaving from side to side and taking a couple steps, perhaps to see me better, or just see what I would do. Is this a threat directed at me, to make me go away? Is it a show of strength to intimidate me into retreating? It looked like she was emitting these airy blasts through her mouth, flipping her head upwards each time as if to "shoo me away." Her ears were focused on me, but waving somewhat intermittently; her tail fairly briskly active, perhaps swatting at pesky flies. Fawn was standing a little distance away, it's attention swiveling between me and Mother, ears eyes and nose fully engaged at high alert. Doe twice looked ninety degrees away for a second or two, then after a noticeable pause, turned and leapt towards Fawn, and they disappeared together in seconds, sneezing or snorting with each jump [about 45 seconds into the attached audio recording]. The photograph is a slightly cropped frame from the video recording.

Local Sunset was at 8:39 EDT that evening, so this encounter was exactly one hour before sunset.

What is this familiar sound that Deer make called, and how exactly do they make it - through both mouth and nose? What exactly does it indicate? Is it made to communicate something to me? Or to the Fawn? Or Other Deer? Is there any gesture or noise I can make that would reassure the Deer that I intend no harm, that they can relax (probably not)?

I would love to find out more about Deer communication, and endeavor to make more, better audio recordings of them in nature. I am using a RØDE Stereo Videomic Pro microphone mounted on a Canon EOS Rebel T3i camera shooting video, with some success (though I don't know where the low electronic crackling sound is coming from - the lens autofocus motors?). The color sonogram is a simple amplitude over time visualization of the audio recording, which is a slightly edited (compressed) last half of this dutiful Doe's unwanted encounter with me. I hope they were not unduly traumatized. I, for one, enjoyed seeing them immensely.