I will never forget seeing a badger for the first time, fantastic sight. I was also thrilled to watch a humming-bird from my hotel balcony in Barbados.
What excited you?
Jackie
Well, as mentioned in your other thread, the brown hares I see almost daily basis (pics in the galleries) were a thrill to ‘discover’ and continue to be so each time I see them! Especially so when they tolerate my presence and come very close!! But then they’ve ‘seen’ me watching them for about 3 years now!!
Another ‘encounter’ that will remain close to my heart for life was in May this year, when I went to Chanonry Point and was literally entertained for over 4 hours by the dolphins there!!! I’d never seen dolphins before and they were so close!! (again, pics in galleries). I also saw my first ever ospreys at the Loch of the Lowes! Fantastic!!
There are many more memorable sightings that I could mention, but will save those for later!!
Would love to see hummingbirds though! Wow!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
It has to be, without any doubt, seeing Odin for the first time when he arrived at the LG nest with a fish on my first ever visit. Seeing that magnificent osprey before my very eyes (and scope!) sent shivers down my spine and I had to bite my lip very hard as not to cry. All very silly but it was emotional stuff.
Make the most of today because, unlike Sky+, there isn't a rewind button.
paula (aberdeen) and I had to bite my lip very hard as not to cry. All very silly but it was emotional stuff.
and I had to bite my lip very hard as not to cry. All very silly but it was emotional stuff.
Not at all Paula! I cried as soon as I stepped on the beach and saw the dolphins!! I was overwhelmed with emotion!!
Oh I would love to see some dolphins, that must have been soooooooo good. Jx
At the beginning of the year we had a holiday in India. We were in Corbett in the back of a jeep when the deer started alarm calling and a few minutes later we heard the roar of our first wild tiger . , it never came out for us to see it but it certainly left an impression. I was shaking like a leaf and giggling nervoulsly. Fantastic. Alas that was the closest we were to get throughout the couple of days we had there.
A few days later we saw one which had just been captured a few hours earlier, a maneater. It was huge I couldn't get away with the size of the head . It was an absolute beauty and sadly was on its way to spend the rest of its days in an Indian zoo.
All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Spike Milligan
About 13 years ago I was travelling by train up the West Coast main line when, just over the border in Scotland, I saw a red deer stag, with full antlers, and head raised to the sky, bellowing. A real postcard scene. Unfortunately, it was over all too soon.
Other than that, my first wild, countryside fox hunting at dusk in a field, and my first grey seal in Dunbar Harbour following the fishing boats in. Something told me that he was expecting a snack.
I even love magpies
Oh far to many to mentions comes to mind.
Finding a large male 'dog' fox standing just outside our cottage in Aberdeenshire
Seeing the Red Kites while living in Stirling everyday. It was fantastic living so close to them - seeing them circle around our farmhouse searching for food for just the normal for us to see. A bit like Gilgrin Farm in Wales, but without any feeding going on.
Watching the 'Gannets' nesting on the Bass rock was unforgettable and has etched itself in my mind forever. I can still feel myself walking through the Gannets nesting colony, and they where not afraid of any humans at all.
This year we went to Spain and we saw some fantastic bird life local to where we stayed at Menorca May-time. Bee-eaters where just the most beautiful birds to see. Golden Orioles in their lovely black and yellow plumage. Having the chance to see 'Cory's Shearwaters' flying in a group, calling to one another, right above my head by the local Beach at the waters edge.
The highlight was discovering the 'Storm Petrels' flying out at sea (they rarely ever go near land at all). We where sailing in a SB3 boat at the time in the Med sea. That is where we saw them flying as a closly packed group at sea very close to the boat. We where surprised how small they are. No camera, as we did not want the wet to destroy the camera itself. Too risky!!!
Lots of special times, and I could go on but better not too. {blush}
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Six Bearded Tits clinging to the same reed stem which was slowly drooping under their combined weight.
Every day a little more irate about bird of prey persecution, and I have a cat - Got a problem with that?
A few years back we spent 3 weeks in New England, we travelled all around by car, visiting Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Cape Cod. I have never been so priviliged to see so much wildlife in one holiday ever since!
We saw deer in the back gardens of the houses of Camden, Maine - standing as still as you like, without a care in the world.
We watched a moose as it slowly waded a river whilst picnicing in New Hampshire.
We heard bears (not seen unfortunately) moving in the bushes as we sat in the evening on the porch of our inn. Needless to say, left porch swiftly as bear noises increased!!!
I tried desparately to take photos of humming birds (got a wing!, a beak!) when we stayed in Stowe, Vermont. Was only appeased when the owner of the inn said only the professionals can get the pictures!
Watched a pair of ospreys feeding their chicks in Falmouth, Cape Cod.
Then for our finale, on our last day as we left Cape Cod heading toward Boston for the flight home, decided to go Whale Watching - It's hard to describe the feeling as you watch a whale surfacing about 50 metres in front of you! We saw up to 30 whales, different pods during a 2 hour period of minke and hump backed.
We took nearly 1000 photos throughout the whole holiday. We lost every one when our computer hard disk failed shortly after we got home. Neither of us thought to back the thing up once we loaded the photos. There's stupidity for you!!
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Really sorry all, I didn't mean to click mine as the possible answer, I don't know what happend there but I certainly did not tick the box - each person's experience just as special, although my trip to New England was the most special to me I realise it wasn't everyone elses - sorry if I have offended anyone.
Wow! What a holiday Kezmo! So sorry to hear that you lost all the photos. Did you ask any 'professionals' at the time whether data extraction was possible from the failed drive? Do you still have it? (I don't suppose so). At least you have good memories!
Another 'encounter' or more of a sight that I shall never forget was a few weeks back, I was driving along the M54, and luckily had Mum as a passenger as no-one would believe me otherwise!!
We both noticed movement on the hard shoulder, but couldn't make it out. It looked dark & light and very odd! All of a sudden, it shot across in front of me and only then did we both realise that it was a rabbit (light) going hell for leather with a polecat (dark) firmly attached with teeth to its rear end!!
Luckily there was no-one behind me or in the outside lane so moved slightly left & slowed down to avoid them. They went through the central and we were both concerned that they would then be killed as there were a lot of cars coming in the opposite direction. A couple of hours later, on our way home we checked the whole section of road for casualties, but there wasn't any, so we think (hope) that they made it! As regards the rabbit, who knows whether it got away or whether the polecat eventually got the better of it! It was the most amazing thing to see!!
Hi Marjus,
This is where I am going to admit my ignorance - Fantastic account of your polecat and rabbit saga oooh where's that camera when you need it! I was going to exclaim that I have never seen a polecat but have just googled and realised that ferret - polecats are similar but I have never seen one in the wild!
Hi MarJus
At the time the hard disk failed, we sent the laptop off to be fixed mainly because of all the photos we had loaded on there, not just the ones from New England. The result was that it couldn't be fixed but they did say they could send it off to a company who could possibly retrieve all the data but quoted some extortionate amount of money to do so. At that time we hadn't been back long from NE and we just couldn't justify the expense on top of what we had already spent on the holiday so said no. If I had been a bit more savvy, I would have said send the hard disk back and we could try at a later date to retrieve the photos when we were more able to afford the expense. I tell you what tho, we have learnt our lesson - we back up everything we load now.
As you say we have our memories but it was a hard lesson to learn. Perhaps one day we'll go back to NE and try again.
MarJus Wow! What a holiday Kezmo! So sorry to hear that you lost all the photos. Did you ask any 'professionals' at the time whether data extraction was possible from the failed drive? Do you still have it? (I don't suppose so). At least you have good memories!