Learn how to Spot More Wildlife!
The centers of our eyes are filled with special cells called cones. These "cones" are good at detecting color and detail. In the corners of our eyes we have a different kind of cell, called rods, which are better at picking up movement than color or detail.
Animals are good at remaining still and invisible. Often, a tiny movement is the only thing that gives away an animal’s presence. If you want to see more wildlife during your outdoor adventures, learn to pay attention to your peripheral vision.
Try these two experiments to help give your eyes a workout.
Experiment #1 Experiment #2
Experiment #1: In the Corner of Your Eye
Step #1)
Put a brightly colored object on the table a few feet in front of you. Begin by looking directly at it. Notice the color of the object and all the details you can see on it.
Step #2)
Slowly begin to look away from the object, but still noticing it in the corner of your eyes. Ask yourself the following questions:
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How far away from the object can you look while still seeing it?
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Does the color or detail of the object seem to change as you look away from it at all?
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Do certain colors stand out in the corner of your eyes more than others?
Also try staring at your hand and then looking away from it. When it is about to disappear from view, wiggle your finger.
Is it easy to spot the motion in the corner of your eyes? Is it easier to see something that is moving or something that is still in the corner of your eyes? How about right in front of your eyes?
Next time you go to the park, see how well the corners of your eyes work for spotting birds, squirrels and other animals. This is a great way to spot deer and other animals in the forest, too.
Experiment #2: Take a Look
Think of something on your local landscape that you pass by everyday, and don’t even bother to look at anymore, because you’ve seen it a hundred times.
Perhaps it is a tree next to your driveway. Maybe you’ve gotten in and out of the car hundreds of times right next to it, and “noticed” it as you pass by - but how often have you stopped to really look at it, peer into the depths of the branches, notice the house sparrows sitting quietly inside the safety of its branches, or the hue of the sunlight reflecting off its bark?
Whatever it is that you are thinking of, can you picture it in your mind? How many details can you remember? Have you ever really seen it? Next time you pass by this object, really take a look at it. Try to "really see" a few new things every day. Exercise your memory and imagination by seeing if you can remember them at the end of the day.
