"More black than ash buds in the front of March"

Tennyson's simile (used to describe a girl's hair)  must have been the result of acute observation: the ash tree's buds, though still tightly closed, are showing now, and matt black against the pale grey bark.
To me they resemble the dainty hooves of deer - have a look here and you'll see what I mean.

Help, my dark background has gone again and this time I can't get it back!