128 replies to this topic

[izar187]

Tonight as I wait for darkness, I have cow elk barks sounding off out in the dark all around me. : )

[csrlice12]

Elk are not meat eaters, but they're not beyond turning you into fertilizer.

[Nerd1]

It wasn't a scary sound but unpleasant nonetheless.  Last summer I was setup behind my house , it was hot. I was wearing sandals and shorts. About 2 am a Scorpion crawled up between my sandal and foot, and proceeded to light me up repeatedly. Very unpleasant experience,  no matter how hot it is, I wear shoes. 

[izar187]

Elk are not meat eaters, but they're not beyond turning you into fertilizer.

Well, I wasn't worried about that at all.

It was just cool to hear them warning each other that something was amiss in the timber cut. Me.  : )

[izar187]

It wasn't a scary sound but unpleasant nonetheless.  Last summer I was setup behind my house , it was hot. I was wearing sandals and shorts. About 2 am a Scorpion crawled up between my sandal and foot, and proceeded to light me up repeatedly. Very unpleasant experience,  no matter how hot it is, I wear shoes. 

Oh man.

Being tagged by yellow jackets in my lawn years ago, when wearing sandals  =  shoes for me too outdoors, always.

[Whiteduckwagglinginspace]

During fall I had 2 moose in my garden, eating from the aple-trees, right next to where I put my telescope.

They were there every(!) night for about 3 weeks in a row.

Luckily, they were more afraid of me than the other way around: when I walked outside with my dobsonian, they ran away.

You hear the strangest sounds here - in the middle of nature - which often sounds loud and scary. I often wonder what kind of animal that must be.

[Starman1]

A couple of nights ago I was out on the back deck doing some observing with my large mounted binoculars, looking for a few open clusters and a few Messier galaxies.   I'm in a suburban setting with adjacent woods.  As happens a couple of times a month when I'm observing deep sky objects for an hour or two before bed, I heard a non-human animal shriek that mimics the "cry of the banshee."  Turns out to be a night cry of a barn owl.  This was confirmed by my naturalist/gentleman farmer neighbor who raises a few chickens.  Apparently, the barn owl doesn't mind living far from his chickens and has been around for a couple of years now.   Unless you have heard a barn owl calling out at night, you would think you were dealing with some dangerous predatory quadruped like a Fisher Cat (which we also have around).... but the cry of the barn owl is very distinctive.  The only similar sound that I've heard was some years ago when I accidently stepped on my cat's tail. That roughly captures the idea of the sound...

 

Rick

We have Great Horned Owls here.  The adults hoot, but the chicks in the nest emit a sound that is nearly identical to the sound of a rusty hinge being opened.

For a long time I thought my neighbor needed to oil his gate hinges, but he just had an own nest nearby.

The most terrifying sound I've ever heard at night was the sound of a calf being killed and eaten by a pack of coyotes in a field just across the road from where I was set up to observe.

He did not go "quietly into that good night".

[harpo80]

Not a noise but a shadow:  Some big bug flew across my truck bed light while I was putting things away very early Sunday morning.  The shadow moved quickly toward me and scared the William Shatner out of me.  I knew it was the end....

 

 

The most terrifying sound I've ever heard at night was the sound of a calf being killed and eaten by a pack of coyotes in a field just across the road from where I was set up to observe.

That would take me a while to recover from.

[Procyon]

Great topic = )

 

A few nights ago I heard what appeared to be either a young wolf or husky howling.

I used to be bring my husky with me to dark sites. Funniest dog ever.

It would hide under the jeep (Or try to) if it heard thunder, or start nagging and crying if it heard footsteps

coming from within the forest.

[25585]

Wildlife mating and killing sounds can be scarily alike, especially at night.

[SubaruB4]

The worst I've heard was a pack of coyotes in the woods maybe a little over 1 or 2 AM but I did hear some ruffling closer to me but I don't know what it was.. but I will be bringing the IR binocs this time.. Other than that it was fine.

 

However if I go upstate I will have to be a bit more mindful as more wildlife

[Refractor6]

  I'm always amazed at the birds singing and making the most amazing sounds after it's just starting to get dark as I wait to observe right next to a forest area here in the boonies at this time of the year. It's a beautiful thing to listen to on a clear night to prepare to view the night sky... like last night...

[JayinUT]

I shared this in my other post on it not being rainy/cloudy here in Utah but will mention it here. 

 

I was up in the Unita Mountains at 9380 feet/ SQM L  readings upper 21.6 to low 21.7 range this week to observe. It is on a ridge with lush canyons below. Anyway that evening I heard something big coming up the ridge and suddenly a moose came up.  The moose wandered around grazing and looked at me. After several minutes it turned and began walking down the canyon side to the lushness and creeks below the ridge. I got this pic on my phone before I forget. 

 

 

I was having an absolutely great night of observing when at 1:10 a.m. I heard a rather large animal coming back up the side fo the canyon from the ridge below. I'm in bear country here so I had bear spray and had it where I could grab it. Since the sound of snapping branches and brush got louder I stopped and waited. The moose had returned and this time just looked around, took a couple of steps where my SeeStar S50 was imaging what I was observing and I said "Hey" and the moose turned around and left. Didn't see the moose again. I've seen them many times in the wild and they are such magnificent creatures. 

 

Several times that night though I heard something that I found amusing. I often hear coyotes where I observe, both the desert and the mountains. No big deal. However during the night a coyote began to howl about 12:00 a.m. and it echoed through the canyon. About 12:30 a pack began to do that it and it was both beautiful and eerie. It reminded me of some voice recordings that some people took thinking it was bigfoot. Nope, just coyotes in a canyon that echoes back and forth for 10 to 12 seconds. Like I said eerie but also captivating. I love these little side adventures when I observe. 

Edited by JayinUT, 29 June 2025 - 01:04 PM.

[areyoukiddingme]

Worst noise I heard in the night was the sound of a pig being attacked and killed.

 

I was by myself in the mountains, and perhaps 100 feet off in the brush there was a calamitous crashing along with a pig shrieking. After maybe 10 seconds everything was silent again.

 

It wasn't until a week later that I figured it out. I had naively assumed that coyotes must have got the pig. But if that were true, I would have heard coyotes making a lot noise. Given that the only sound was the pig, and that it was obviously reasonably big, it must have been a mountain lion.

 

I'd been viewing by myself up there dozens of times, and there must have been mountain lions just off in the brush the whole time, and I had no idea. 

[jcj380]

I said "Hey" and the moose turned around and left. Didn't see the moose again. I've seen them many times in the wild and they are such magnificent creatures. 

I almost walked into one while hiking on Isle Royale.  Luckily, it wasn't upset with me being that close to it.  I backed away very slowly.  Big freakin' animals.  

[Herodotus]

I understand that sounds of nature at night! Coyotes, Elk, mountain lion, the occasional cow being attacked by said mountain lion, and armies of little creatures running my fence line. After a while you kinda get use to it.

[KI5CAW]

Worst noise I heard in the night was the sound of a pig being attacked and killed.

 

I was by myself in the mountains, and perhaps 100 feet off in the brush there was a calamitous crashing along with a pig shrieking. After maybe 10 seconds everything was silent again.

 

It wasn't until a week later that I figured it out. I had naively assumed that coyotes must have got the pig. But if that were true, I would have heard coyotes making a lot noise. Given that the only sound was the pig, and that it was obviously reasonably big, it must have been a mountain lion.

 

I'd been viewing by myself up there dozens of times, and there must have been mountain lions just off in the brush the whole time, and I had no idea. 

Here, kitty, kitty! 

[NinePlanets]

Sneaky cats...

[weis14]

Coyotes are a constant presence at my dark site.  Sometimes there will be groups in different directions trying to outdo each other.  If they get the dogs animated, it can get quite loud for a bit.  

 

The most startled I ever am up there is in the fall during the whitetail deer rut.  Sometimes those deer in the underbrush sound like they are 10 feet away.

[PIEJr]

Dynan, on 13 May 2025 - 10:10 AM, said:

Setting up in the Deep South, the noises that bother me are the ones I DON'T hear...snakes, gators, large cats...

Like a friend was told when visiting New Orleans on his brand new Harley during Marti gras, when he stopped and picked up a big snapping turtle.
His buddy showing him the sights at night told him, "Don't stop. Out here you are a part of the food chain!"

I listen to the critters and see if I can identify them. But sometimes it can be unnerving.




A small Female fox in the backyard.

[SubaruB4]

Haha I was out last night and it was maybe 2:30am and I heard something about 400Ft or so I made sure to bring my IR googles and I noticed I saw 4 eyes glowing, it took me awhile to realize I had two doe watching me while I was slewing my scope around

[SubaruB4]

Last night

 

[luxo II]

Flash a laser pointer near them and they’ll clear off fast.

 

For crazy noises in the night nothing beats having a lyrebird nearby. They imitate all sorts of things - other birds, dogs, chainsaws, cameras, babies crying, mobile phone ringtones, then their own courtship calls which are very weird… they can put on a quite bizarre performance.

 

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=C0ZffIh0-NA

Edited by luxo II, 01 July 2025 - 07:42 PM.

[DSOGabe]

A pack of coyotes decided to start howling ( more like screaming) the other night while I was on the back deck observing. They couldn't have been more than 30 yards away. I'm glad I had set my cup of coffee down just before the chorus began...

Fred

Around mating season they sound like a chorus straight from Hades

[ausastronomer]

A couple of nights ago I was out on the back deck doing some observing with my large mounted binoculars, looking for a few open clusters and a few Messier galaxies.   I'm in a suburban setting with adjacent woods.  As happens a couple of times a month when I'm observing deep sky objects for an hour or two before bed, I heard a non-human animal shriek that mimics the "cry of the banshee."  Turns out to be a night cry of a barn owl.  This was confirmed by my naturalist/gentleman farmer neighbor who raises a few chickens.  Apparently, the barn owl doesn't mind living far from his chickens and has been around for a couple of years now.   Unless you have heard a barn owl calling out at night, you would think you were dealing with some dangerous predatory quadruped like a Fisher Cat (which we also have around).... but the cry of the barn owl is very distinctive.  The only similar sound that I've heard was some years ago when I accidently stepped on my cat's tail. That roughly captures the idea of the sound...

 

Rick

 

You wouldn’t believe the strange noises cows make at night!

Hi Don,

We don't have any dangerous animals that prowl or hunt at night, apart from Dingoes and they are generally much further out West then where I observe from.  I've never seen one at night, ever!

I'm not sure if you experienced the noise the Male Koalas make at night, on one of your trips Down Unda?

If you've never heard it before it scares the living daylights out of you.  When they are procreating the species and searching for a mate at night, they let out this almighty roar that can be heard for a couple of kilometers, at least, in the quiet and stillness of the night.  From the noise they make you would expect a pack of African Bull Elephants to burst through the bushes onto your observing field any second.   Of course, they are some distance away and up the tree and not going to cause you any safety concerns whatsoever.  If it's your first time out there and you didn't have an Aussie with you to tell you what the noise was, you' be looking for a change of duds

Cheers,

Edited by ausastronomer, 07 July 2025 - 11:11 PM.