Well I'll be! Just the shortest of entries here, but an absolute revelation! Ok so it's not earth shattering and perhaps others have know this for a long time. Did you know that spider's eyes shine and glitter in the night? They look for all the world like tiny sequins.
Went for a quick night hike on Tuesday evening. We started at Ong's hat and worked our way to the rangers office at Brendan Byrne State Forest. Meet up time was 6pm, and as it turned out it was only Joe and myself, so off we went.
About a mile down the trail Joe came to an abrupt halt and says "Do you see them?" Of course I didn't immediately but when he used his trekking pole, there they were...two tiny little sparkles, moving across a leaf. I knew that larger animals eyes give off a shine and glow when hit with light at night. But to see it on such a minute scale was just so amazing.
My head lamp wasn't the brightest, so it wasn't as easy to see some of the other things Joe pointed out. This would include the low and close sets of eyes off to the right. Too close together to be a deer. Too low to the ground for the same. And in a grouping of three...probably coyotes! They paralleled us briefly and quietly disappeared. Later a deer crashed thru the woods to the left. There were even tiny moths that at moments would be in my face, possibly attracted to the lights.
The woods were wonderfully alive at night, and fortunately so was Mayo's Halfway House! Chicken Corn Chowder was hot and delicious at 9 when we wandered in. Who knew a 6 mile hike in the dark would be a terrific way to end a work day. Who knew!!
You must treasure these night hikes - in my part of the world it has become dodgy even hiking in the daytime on certain routes!
ReplyDeleteWe don't let that stop us but it does add a negative element that always seems to hover in the back of your mind while you're out there.
How about some pictures? :)
I'll have to work on night time pics! I'm really a novice with the camera, but will give it a whirl! Will keep you in mind when we do these, and remember to appreciate!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post I'm wondering why Cullen and I have never night hiked. Now you've got me thinking! Now that you mention it, I did not know spider eyes glitter.
ReplyDeletePalma, it is amazing how different the same hike feels and looks at night. Well worth the small investment in a head lamp.
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