That is a good call on going hiking just for the eclipse. I've never experienced that yet, and seeing videos on the internet where people where yelling, screaming, cheering during the eclipse is just... I don't know hahah like they're in a carnival. I mean if it works for them sure, but I personally wouldn't go to a park with a big crowd. It's still best to be somewhere with less people and quiet, so you can concentrate and process more the eclipse. :D Also it is so amazing what you said, the birds went quiet and other animals making noise. I wonder what's going on in their heads or whatever their instincts tell them when this happens.
Really good photographs you got there and looking forward to the other ones!
This was my second time seeing totality and both times were from clearings in national forests, I want nothing to do with all the ruckus and carrying on. It's such a magnificent, awesome spectacle, I can't fathom why people impinge upon that with a bunch of noise. I always end up regretting the time I spent photographing it instead of focusing on it but I can't not take pictures. Plus camping in the woods for it lets you dodge all the traffic and price gouging that seems to come with it. It's such a surreal experience knowing what is happening, can't imagine what's going through the animals heads when it happens. They just seem to know something isn't right.
Thank you!