Hiding in Plain Sight

Eastern whip-poor-will. Photo by Tom Murray CC BY-NC 2.0

Some days seem to run together after over a month of Safer at Home practices. We've settled into a semi-routine rhythm of work and schooling, lots of meal-making, dishes and laundry and everyday things. We watch and wait for news that the spread of this virus is slowing.

One of our commitments has been to get out every day, even if it's raining or blustery. Our walks never fail to bring something interesting into view. We've begun to try marking each day by noticing something different about our usual path. And the other day, on just another ordinary Wednesday, in this otherwise far from ordinary time, we were reminded to look closer and tread more carefully.

On a little detour through the school woodlot to see the bloodroot pushing up from the leaf litter and unfurling its delicate leaves and blooms, our attention was captivated by a downy woodpecker working diligently at the top of a dead tree, bobbing in and out in search of insects or perhaps creating a nest cavity in a noisy display. The bird didn’t seem to be concerned by us watching below.

As we turned to head home, my eye caught sight of a small rabbit tucked silent and still in the thicket of last fall's brown briars and brush just three feet from where we were standing. I don't know what drew my eye to that spot, but my son noticed my sudden stillness and turned to look as I pointed. We appreciated the way this animal remained in that spot when it might have also chosen to dart and dash in the face of danger.

We backed out of the spot slowly and made our way back home, that small moment tucked away as the marvel of the day.

Can you spot the rabbit?

How many creatures are hiding in plain sight? What might we find when we slow down and look more closely?

From the beautiful and mysterious Eastern whip-poor-will that will be arriving soon, to the gray treefrogs nearly invisible on bark; from the spotted fawns that will rest in the dappled sunlight of the forest floor to the mottled fur of the bobcat, our natural world is full of remarkable examples of living things whose survival is boosted by their ability to disappear, blend in, and go unnoticed.

Gray treefrog. Photo by Robert Hay, WDNR

Bobcat. WDNR

Pausing to consider the role that blending into the environment plays, we can appreciate the remarkable ways our experiences in the natural world may be deeper and richer than we realize as we move through and hike on. Treading softly, quietly, and carefully can become a set of practiced skills and also a way of being.

What have you noticed that's hiding in plain sight?

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Don't forget to take some time to explore the wildlife captured on the Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras, which is a great way to observe wildlife without interfering in their lives and habitat. The blog has recently been updated to share footage of a juvenile eagle and a cougar sighting.

The PBS Nature Series, Spy in the Wild, features cameras disguised as animals to capture footage of behavior that might be difficult to see otherwise. These animals are far from our home here in Wisconsin, but for up-close insight into their behavior and a view from their world without intruding in it, check it out here.