Moonlit Walk

This past Saturday evening, Patty and I led the monthly Moonlight Walk at Whitesbog. Our friend Tom usually leads these excursions, but he was not available.*

It was a small turnout, in addition to the two of us, only four folks, and one dog, took part. I've been on walks with over thirty participants. Maybe it they heard Tom would not be there? Or maybe the rain earlier in the day discouraged many.

One unusual feature of this month's walk was that we actually saw the moon! More often than not when we go the moon doesn't show, hiding behind clouds. Not this time, although you can see it tried.

A rare event, and everyone wanted a record of it!

I had pointed out the 22° halo around the moon (of course I did). If you look closely you can see the halo on the phone screen in the previous image. Surprisingly, it was a new phenomena for all of them. I say surprisingly as my Mom told me of lunar halos, and the folk wisdom that they foretold rain, when I was a just a wee lad.

🌕  🌕  🌕  🌕  🌕

Before the walk we did a bit of scouting, and birding, 

It looks very different than when dark.

Along the road and in these woods we had Timberdoodles. And in the bogs Ring-necked, Rudy, and Red-headed Ducks. During the walk we had Tundra Swans, noisily flying in to roost in the bogs for the night.

All around it turned out to be a very nice evening.

🤕  🤕  🤕  🤕  🤕

* We've had a bit of a winter weather of late, snow and ice, and Tom slipped, fell, and broke his wrist. And because of this, he is unable to walk. 

Image Courtesy Terry Schmidt

No, I don't understand that either.

At least he looks happy.