myMountainStudio
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog - Out Here
  • Contact
  • Other
    • About
    • FAQ
    • Reviews

another evening up kootenai. this time with bats!

8/16/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture
We got out for another evening hike up Kootenai tonight. Kind of the usual going in. Another squirrel photo, but I love the sunshine on him with the green background. 
​
Picture
And another spectacular view of the sun setting ahead of us on the trail as we continued hiking farther in. ​Par for the course so far. Then we came across another hiker on his way out, who asked us how far we were going. He then told us he had seen a billy goat (male mountain goat) near the wilderness boundary. I hadn't originally intended on getting that far in our time frame (planning to be out by dark to avoid the need for headlamps), but decided for the chance of seeing the mountain goat (and getting a couple photos), we would pick up our pace and then trail run part of the way out to still get back out by last light at 9:17. So the quest was on. We got to the wilderness boundary, but never saw the mountain goat. Oh well, it was worth a shot. 
​
Picture
It was growing darker as we were coming out quickly, and things darted off the trail here and there to avoid getting stepped on. When I leapt over a little dark lump in the trail without even thinking about what it was (there are lots of obstacles all along the way), it suddenly moved in an unfamiliar way beneath my airborne feet. I stopped and looked back to see what it was and to my surprise it was still on the trail. Yes, it's a bat! It had had its wings closed in, and then suddenly sprung them open as I jumped over it, but it didn't leave the trail. Jamie thought maybe it was a little stunned after hitting something?? Don't know. I snapped a quick pic (using flash due to the darkness), and then kept moving. We hit the trailhead at last light, after having bats swooping at us the rest of the way out. One went right between me and Emily, and another between Emily and Jamie. So crazy!! They definitely kept us moving! LOL!
​
​Time in the mountains is always some kind of an adventure for us! :)
​
--Nikki / Out Here

2 Comments
Dana
8/17/2021 08:37:35 am

I love the squirrel picture, too! Especially love the sunshine on his or her whiskers and the way his or her little toes are all splayed out.

That's pretty wild about the bats! Your story reminded me of the bats under the Congress Street Bridge in Austin, Texas. In the summer, millions of them stream out from under the bridge at dusk and then return back to their crevices in the bridge at dawn. It's quite the experience to watch them in their nightly display. I bet there's a YouTube video of it if you want to google "Austin Congress Street Bridge bats" and check it out.

Reply
Nikki link
8/17/2021 09:13:14 am

Wow! On a quick search, I found a lot of cool photos!! I've seen a lot of bats before, but never anything close to that many! Thanks for sharing, Dana. :)

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    author

    Nikki Weiss
    mountain adventurer
    ​+ photographer.

    Out Here.
    Out Here in nature.
    Out Here in the mountains.
    Out here in Montana.

    Picture

    follow by email

    * indicates required

    ​Follow me on Facebook
    ​
    Picture

    categories

    All
    At Home
    Backroads
    Bailey Lake
    Bass Creek
    Bass Creek Crags
    Bass Creek O.
    Bear Creek
    Bear Creek O.
    Big Creek
    Blodgett Canyon
    Blodgett O.
    Brooks Creek
    Camas
    Canyon Creek
    Chaffin Butte
    Fred Burr
    Gleason Lake
    Glen Lake
    Goat Mountain
    Gold Creek
    Kootenai
    Lake Como
    Larry Creek
    Little Rock Creek
    Little St. Joe
    Lolo Pass
    Lost Horse
    Mill Creek
    Refuge
    Roaring Lion
    Rock Creek
    Sawtooth
    Soft Rock
    St. Mary's Mtn.
    Sweathouse
    Sweeney
    Tin Cup
    Videos
    Ward Mountain
    XYZ (misc)

    Picture
    fitness, hiking, + weight loss coach

    fitness group

    Let me help you get "out here", too. I will soon be offering a hiking related fitness group with coaching and support for getting in shape and getting out in the outdoors more. Stay tuned. :) 

    shop handmade

    Picture
    scarves and cowls
    Picture
    photo note cards
    Picture
    natural rope baskets
Montana Handmade by Nikki Weiss in the Northern Rockies.
home | shop | about | faq | reviews | blog | contact

Unless otherwise credited and linked, all photos on this site are copyright protected by Nikki Weiss, all rights reserved.
If sharing on a blog or social media, please give credit and link to my website, shop, or blog. For any other use, please ask for permission.
Thank you.
mymountainstudio.com