Nature by Night Hike

Normally Conservation Areas close at dusk, but on Wednesday July 21 from 8:00 pm to 10:00pm, we will open the gates to visitors for a guided night hike at Heber Down Conservation Area in Whitby. Participants will get up close and personal with the sounds of our local night life, and learn about some of their unique strategies for finding everything from a mate to a meal. All without the benefit of light. Please note, this hike is not suitable for children under 4 years of age.

The moon will be almost full, providing us with enough light to hike the new Devil’s Den trail and look and listen for signs of activity. “Animals that spend their days sleeping and evenings foraging are called nocturnal,” says Cathy Grant the education coordinator who will lead the hike. “Our natural areas are sometimes more active at night then they are by day,” she says, “providing habitat for coyotes, bats, raccoons and moths to name a few of the critters we may encounter.” If you are really quiet at night you can actually hear earthworms pulling under and munching on the organic layer of the forest floor. They are great at recycling this rich debris into more soil for the trees that grow here,” she adds. Many night predators, like owls have excellent hearing to help them find their next meal, which they do, often on the fly, making this combination deadly for unsuspecting rodents. While it is late in the season, we may even hear some amphibians calling to attract a mate at in our Heber Down pond. There are 11 species of frogs and toads in Ontario, of which some are considered endangered.

So bring your eyes and ears, a good pair of walking shoes. No flashlights required.

Please "Click Here" to register for the Nature by Night Hike or for more information please contact Ms. Cathy Grant at the conservation office at 905-579-0411, ext 108 or email cgrant@cloca.com. All participants are asked to meet in the main conservation area parking lot.

Directions to Heber Down Conservation Area:

Exit 401 at Brock Street in Whitby and travel north on Brock Street to Taunton Road. Turn left onto Taunton Road and travel to Country Lane Road. Turn right onto Country Lane Road and travel until the main entrance. Enter through the gate and follow the road to the main parking lot. Google Map