Night Hike Critters: Toad & Large Porcupine

Enough after-sunset sky glow is plenty to navigate the paths without a flashlight. But those who do so risk blundering into rattlesnakes, badgers, turtles (including yes, snapping turtles ON LAND. Record is 3 at once), toads and other ... critters ... attracted to the warm packed dirt wagon tracks.

Woodhouse's Toads are plentiful this year. In garden, tiny ones hopping out of lawn borders and here on paths in the Midland Fields.

The North American Porcupine, I believe now, is the jumpscare creature from the first week, shuffling back into brush after a quick glimpse of something large, low and moving. Creek side just at top of access road hill seen ahead (where Binx the cat is met). Evening hikes, in fact, were timed for later after sunset in deliberate hunt for the large porky seen in Fields from Main Compound. But ...

If had to testify, I'd have to say as hefty as this one is, it was clearly SMALLER than the pony-sized one seen from 300 yards away. Ok, maybe "pony" is a stretch but out in hay fields, with fresh bales for scale, it looked crouched-down man-sized. Or a yearling black bear.

Other sightings included several nights in late summer last year glimpsing a pair moving out windows twice. Larger one half the size of this one shown; smaller buddy about cat-sized. Would amble out from brush North Perimeter into yard on West side (where corn cattle tank is shown at times), browse a bit of late grass then go out to compound yards where after-cutting alfalfa sprouts.

(Note: Done giving apologizes for TMI, etc. Am writer as well and go back to harvest this, recorded fresh as I tend to neglect writing things down.)