Your best 'recent' wildlife experience?
Discussion
I was outside on Friday working on the car and I heard a squeak to my side. I looked over and no more than 6 feet away was a sparrow hawk which had just pounced on something. It stared at me for a couple of seconds and then flew off with something small and black in it's claws.
I've never been so close or had such a good look at a wild bird of prey.
Anyone else had any fantastic wildlife encounters of late?
I've never been so close or had such a good look at a wild bird of prey.
Anyone else had any fantastic wildlife encounters of late?
I've got a resident sparrowhawk in my back garden, so I get to see that make kills fairly frequently (usually the blue tits and blackbirds off my bird table).
Most memorable experience this year was one of my days kayak fishing off the Gower in Wales; first seeing a peregrine hunting along the cliffs, then later watching a gannet. I was following the gannet's movements thinking that if it dived, it would identify a school of bait fish for me to fish into, so I was a bit surprised when it eventually turned and dived about 15 feet from my kayak. Close enough to see the plume of bubble following it down, which was quite cool.
Most memorable experience this year was one of my days kayak fishing off the Gower in Wales; first seeing a peregrine hunting along the cliffs, then later watching a gannet. I was following the gannet's movements thinking that if it dived, it would identify a school of bait fish for me to fish into, so I was a bit surprised when it eventually turned and dived about 15 feet from my kayak. Close enough to see the plume of bubble following it down, which was quite cool.
I tend to see a lot of interesting wildlife as I'm outdoors most of the time in nice places.
Recently, probably walking in my local (fairly small) woods looking for shrooms and scared up two roe bucks, who trotted off quite casually, then scared up a hare (very unusual to see around here) and then two ravens shot out of a tree above me (even more unusual - never seen them anywhere near here before).
Saw more in about 10 minutes than I often see in hours
Recently, probably walking in my local (fairly small) woods looking for shrooms and scared up two roe bucks, who trotted off quite casually, then scared up a hare (very unusual to see around here) and then two ravens shot out of a tree above me (even more unusual - never seen them anywhere near here before).
Saw more in about 10 minutes than I often see in hours
Tend to see deer fairly frequently when walking the dogs - we would get deer in the garden but we fenced it off to stop the dogs getting free venison steaks.
The other day though the local sparrowhawk was being attacked by a couple of crows.....That was quite strange to see, it ducked and dived beautifully then flew into the trees.
The other day though the local sparrowhawk was being attacked by a couple of crows.....That was quite strange to see, it ducked and dived beautifully then flew into the trees.
Japveesix said:
I tend to see a lot of interesting wildlife as I'm outdoors most of the time in nice places.
Same here. I see a lot of things on a daily basis that a lot of other people would think "fantastic". My list would be a long one.What I think is great is that the OP has observed an event and felt the need to post it on here. Wildlife is so often overlooked, especially when it is right under our noses.I think to witness a sparrowhawk at close quarters like that is just as fantastic as seeing "staged" lions on safari in more exotic clines.
Well done OP!
Top of the current list. Two red kites and a female hen harrier hunting the same bit of hill rough grazing about 100m away.Thursday last week.
Jasandjules said:
Tend to see deer fairly frequently when walking the dogs - we would get deer in the garden but we fenced it off to stop the dogs getting free venison steaks.
The other day though the local sparrowhawk was being attacked by a couple of crows.....That was quite strange to see, it ducked and dived beautifully then flew into the trees.
I have seen this before as well. In fact, the sparrowhawk was being attacked by 3-4 crows and another was sparrowhawk was just circling watching the melee. The other day though the local sparrowhawk was being attacked by a couple of crows.....That was quite strange to see, it ducked and dived beautifully then flew into the trees.
I discovered at the weekend that next door and I share a pet hedgehog. I did wonder where all the slugs and snails had gone this year until I saw the fattest biggest, hedgehog I had ever seen about a month ago. Neighbourly chat reveals the hog uses the path between our houses on a regular basis and just sits there not bothered when neighbouroony goes out for a ciggie at night. 
Then there is our robin, wrens, song thrushes, chaffinches, blue and coal tits, sparrows and blackbirds we have in the gardens, not very interesting for most folks but not bad for an estate of Barratt cardboard houses I think!
Trace
Then there is our robin, wrens, song thrushes, chaffinches, blue and coal tits, sparrows and blackbirds we have in the gardens, not very interesting for most folks but not bad for an estate of Barratt cardboard houses I think!
Trace
tenex said:
Same here. I see a lot of things on a daily basis that a lot of other people would think "fantastic". My list would be a long one.
What I think is great is that the OP has observed an event and felt the need to post it on here. Wildlife is so often overlooked, especially when it is right under our noses.I think to witness a sparrowhawk at close quarters like that is just as fantastic as seeing "staged" lions on safari in more exotic clines.
Well done OP!
Top of the current list. Two red kites and a female hen harrier hunting the same bit of hill rough grazing about 100m away.Thursday last week.
That's what prompted the post, I've been fortunate enough to see amazing things on safari and in costa rica but this unexpected encounter on my own doorstep was just as special. It's easy to forget how amazing local wildlife can be. What I think is great is that the OP has observed an event and felt the need to post it on here. Wildlife is so often overlooked, especially when it is right under our noses.I think to witness a sparrowhawk at close quarters like that is just as fantastic as seeing "staged" lions on safari in more exotic clines.
Well done OP!
Top of the current list. Two red kites and a female hen harrier hunting the same bit of hill rough grazing about 100m away.Thursday last week.
ehonda said:
tenex said:
Same here. I see a lot of things on a daily basis that a lot of other people would think "fantastic". My list would be a long one.
What I think is great is that the OP has observed an event and felt the need to post it on here. Wildlife is so often overlooked, especially when it is right under our noses.I think to witness a sparrowhawk at close quarters like that is just as fantastic as seeing "staged" lions on safari in more exotic clines.
Well done OP!
That's what prompted the post, I've been fortunate enough to see amazing things on safari and in costa rica but this unexpected encounter on my own doorstep was just as special. It's easy to forget how amazing local wildlife can be. What I think is great is that the OP has observed an event and felt the need to post it on here. Wildlife is so often overlooked, especially when it is right under our noses.I think to witness a sparrowhawk at close quarters like that is just as fantastic as seeing "staged" lions on safari in more exotic clines.
Well done OP!
Likewise we have badgers that visit our garden most nights and they live in a sett in about 1 1/2 acres (at most) of land entirely enclosed by houses. I think I'm one of very few people in those 20 or so houses that even knows they're there
My top recent ones would be a barn owl cruising within 3-4 foot of my head whilst I was leaning against a farm gate on a silent bit of Dartmoor and seeing choughs wheeling, playing and calling over the Pembrokeshire coast
Pothole said:
15 pheasants on the drive the other week. They don't run/fly away when I creep up on them in the car....we get rabbits, squirrels foxes and buzzards regularly too. Also little owls and partridge.
^^^^ sounds like my place 
As for my "most recent wildlife experience" We are Very lucky to have Red kites here (watched two of them for a while just now while walking the dog) also Deer (Muntjac and Fallow), Hares and Barn owls.
I love wildlife and feel very fortunate to live somewhere I am able to enjoy it.
Edit: spelling...
Edited by y2blade on Tuesday 29th November 08:15
y2blade said:
Pothole said:
15 pheasants on the drive the other week. They don't run/fly away when I creep up on them in the car....we get rabbits, squirrels foxes and buzzards regularly too. Also little owls and partridge.
^^^^ sounds like my place As for my "most recent wildlife experience" We are Very lucky to have Red kites here (watched two of them for a while just now while walking the dog) also Deer (Muntjac and Fallow), Hares and Barn owls.
I love wildlife and feel very fortunate to live somewhere I am able to enjoy it.
Edit: spelling...
Edited by y2blade on Tuesday 29th November 08:15
C3BER said:
Lucky to live in an area full of wildlife and hares, deer etc are common and can be seen everyday. But my one outstanding moment for me was sleeping next to a wild badger. If anybody wants the full story I'll post it up but in 20 years I've never forgotten how lucky I was.
Yes please! You can't leave that one unexplained.Here goes: short version.
After two days roaming the countryside in WW1 battledress and stinking no longer of me I found myself sleeping under a bush. During the night I thought I was dreaming that my dog was curled up against the back of my leg. It's one of those what the "f" moments when you realise your not at home and what you thought was your dog was as you carefully look was in fact a badger. It's head was resting in the crook of my knee and I honestly i had no idea what to do. Sometime later I moved my leg slowly and it woke up and moved away.
It really is one of life's amazing true stories and one that Im so very lucky to have.
After two days roaming the countryside in WW1 battledress and stinking no longer of me I found myself sleeping under a bush. During the night I thought I was dreaming that my dog was curled up against the back of my leg. It's one of those what the "f" moments when you realise your not at home and what you thought was your dog was as you carefully look was in fact a badger. It's head was resting in the crook of my knee and I honestly i had no idea what to do. Sometime later I moved my leg slowly and it woke up and moved away.
It really is one of life's amazing true stories and one that Im so very lucky to have.
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