Christmas Eve Deer and Robins

Christmas Eve late afternoon, a walk in the Woods, a balm from the traffic and the bustle. From the NW entrance at 4:00 - an odd thing - the water from the NW pond is spreading and inundating more of the low land, despite the lack of rain for this past week. An indication of a recovering water table? Water depth at 2.50 ft. There is a light film of pollen covering all the surface and hay fever has afflicted people this week. Too early to be Juniper. I wonder what it could be? No minnows ruffling the surface, no turtles.
 It was all peaceful (and warm). Through the Woods, there were only flocks of robins.. and three deer - two does and a yearling. I stopped, waved and sang a greeting to the deer. The moderate winds of this week brought down lots of small ends of branches but nothing significant across the trails.
I see fewer vertebrates in the Woods now, since the new station was built, limiting access to wild lands and the river to the south. Long time since I've seen raccoon, coyote, even armadillos in there. Fewer box turtles now. I did flush a barred owl from the big pecan tree above East Pond.
There are freshly-used prominent cliff or slope face burrows easily visible from the East Pond.
The Wash has long pools of standing water, although the Elm Bridge is dry. It will all be flowing again in the winter storm due in two days. Water depth at East Pond is 1.82 ft.
Last of the golden sun setting at 5:15. I watched the late light in the top 6 feet of the Grandfather cottonwood's highest branches. Those highest buds, branches and leaves must be especially valuable.