Amazing Day with a cruel twist

[Tornado]

My husband and I visited Martin Mere WWT on 28th December. Deciding on a stroll the evening before, we arrived with just our binoculars and commented on how "free" we felt without the usual scope, tripod and DSLR equipment.

After a half hour at the Beaver residence we headed for a brew and bacon roll! Warm and our hunger satisfied we spent a good hour in the "Swanlink" hide watching two Ruff as they fought over a piece of beach that can only be described as a airport landing strip!!
Plenty of Whooper Swans, Pintail, Coot, Greylag and the usual Mallard provided us with good understanding of the behaviour patterns, when breeding season is well and truly over.

We moved on to the feeding station shortly aftrewards and took up places at the far end of the hide. Two minutes later a screeching was heard just outside, turning to eachother we both looked suprised.
A nice chap who just walked in exclaimed "there's a Stoat with a Rabbit"

We quietly moved to the door to find a Rabbit behind a concrete planter with a Stoat trying his best to carry it off!! And yes you've guessed it NO CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!!!
How gutted am I? Don't ask!!

*NOTE TO SELF*
Whether raining or not take your flippin camera you nutter!!!

Even though I had no camera we still felt privileged to see this amazing sight and the memories of (although it was unpleasant to see a Rabbit suffer) nature in action will last a lifetime and will be talked of for years to come.

Tornado

[vole-woman]

Wow. You're so lucky to have seen it, though.

[Tornado]

As I say we think we were privileged and just in the right place at the right time, albeit without camera!!!

[tigger]

Believe me you are not the only one to have a "wildlife disaster". When I was in France this year I managed to film a Grass Snake eating a whole frog. It look well over an hour... some great footage. So what did I do? I taped over it. TAPED OVER IT!!!!! I cried for a whole day! I cannot explain how mad I was.

At least we have the memories... and I'm a lot more careful with my camera tapes now! Jane x

[Words]

O god these things happen, but I have to say taping over an hour of video takes some beating Leaving the camera at home just doesn't register compared with that!

[demicav]

Originally Posted by Tornado

My husband and I visited Martin Mere WWT on 28th December. Deciding on a stroll the evening before, we arrived with just our binoculars and commented on how "free" we felt without the usual scope, tripod and DSLR equipment.

After a half hour at the Beaver residence we headed for a brew and bacon roll! Warm and our hunger satisfied we spent a good hour in the "Swanlink" hide watching two Ruff as they fought over a piece of beach that can only be described as a airport landing strip!!
Plenty of Whooper Swans, Pintail, Coot, Greylag and the usual Mallard provided us with good understanding of the behaviour patterns, when breeding season is well and truly over.

We moved on to the feeding station shortly aftrewards and took up places at the far end of the hide. Two minutes later a screeching was heard just outside, turning to eachother we both looked suprised.
A nice chap who just walked in exclaimed "there's a Stoat with a Rabbit"

We quietly moved to the door to find a Rabbit behind a concrete planter with a Stoat trying his best to carry it off!! And yes you've guessed it NO CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!!!
How gutted am I? Don't ask!!

*NOTE TO SELF*
Whether raining or not take your flippin camera you nutter!!!

Even though I had no camera we still felt privileged to see this amazing sight and the memories of (although it was unpleasant to see a Rabbit suffer) nature in action will last a lifetime and will be talked of for years to come.

Tornado

I'm guilty of that one myself. The number of times I've left the camera behind to save on baggage then missed an opportunity. Still haven't learnt my lesson.

[demicav]

Originally Posted by tigger

Believe me you are not the only one to have a "wildlife disaster". When I was in France this year I managed to film a Grass Snake eating a whole frog. It look well over an hour... some great footage. So what did I do? I taped over it. TAPED OVER IT!!!!! I cried for a whole day! I cannot explain how mad I was.

At least we have the memories... and I'm a lot more careful with my camera tapes now! Jane x

I agree with Words, that takes some beating that one, although I did hear about someone who saved for years, went on the trip of a lifetime but their camera card wasn't in properly. They only discovered it when they returned home to "no photos".

[tigger]

Demicav... that would be my worst nightmare!

[kiwi]

only fools trip over the same stone twice
(learn from your mistakes)

[Ukwildlifeo]

I got fed up with missing the opertunities and now take my camera with me almost everywhere, if its light or will be before I get home again. I lug it to london everyday, though thankfully being a Fz7 its light and easily fits in my bag. Mind you now Im not quick enough getting it out my bag...

[galanthus]

Goes to show tho that the most unfailing device you can have to record our amazing wildlife are your eyes and brain

Been telling myself this all day after leaving camera home, experiencing the freedom Tornado talks about and consequently missing photo ops for water rail, kingfisher, brambling, close-up bullfinches and siskin

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by galanthus

Goes to show tho that the most unfailing device you can have to record our amazing wildlife are your eyes and brain

Not sure about the brain part in my case. Was happy to see my first ever pintail last month, then glancing through the photos is had USED on my site there was, an, abeit poor, photo of one from feb.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Tornado

My husband and I visited Martin Mere WWT on 28th December. Deciding on a stroll the evening before, we arrived with just our binoculars and commented on how "free" we felt without the usual scope, tripod and DSLR equipment.

After a half hour at the Beaver residence we headed for a brew and bacon roll! Warm and our hunger satisfied we spent a good hour in the "Swanlink" hide watching two Ruff as they fought over a piece of beach that can only be described as a airport landing strip!!
Plenty of Whooper Swans, Pintail, Coot, Greylag and the usual Mallard provided us with good understanding of the behaviour patterns, when breeding season is well and truly over.

We moved on to the feeding station shortly aftrewards and took up places at the far end of the hide. Two minutes later a screeching was heard just outside, turning to eachother we both looked suprised.
A nice chap who just walked in exclaimed "there's a Stoat with a Rabbit"

We quietly moved to the door to find a Rabbit behind a concrete planter with a Stoat trying his best to carry it off!! And yes you've guessed it NO CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!!!
How gutted am I? Don't ask!!

*NOTE TO SELF*
Whether raining or not take your flippin camera you nutter!!!

Even though I had no camera we still felt privileged to see this amazing sight and the memories of (although it was unpleasant to see a Rabbit suffer) nature in action will last a lifetime and will be talked of for years to come.

Tornado

but you see... if you had taken your camera with you, you wouldn't have seen these things as that's how life works

[epops]

Originally Posted by tigger

Believe me you are not the only one to have a "wildlife disaster". When I was in France this year I managed to film a Grass Snake eating a whole frog. It look well over an hour... some great footage. So what did I do? I taped over it. TAPED OVER IT!!!!! I cried for a whole day! I cannot explain how mad I was.

At least we have the memories... and I'm a lot more careful with my camera tapes now! Jane x

i did a similar thing i was lucky enough to see a Stoat theaching its young to catch a Rabbit Stoat the elder would let the bunny run so far catch it and bring it back to its young cruel maybe? but interesting to watch anyways bought the camera home only for my daughter bless her to whip the tape clean i was just a tad annoyed to say the least.

[Tornado]

Thanks to all for your replies, I am so glad that it's not just me that has disasterous tendancies regarding watching wildlife. I feel for everyone who has had a missed oppertunity or three!!!

Best wishes to everyone for a better years wildlife watch........................
complete with cameras and cards no matter what!!

[richardkm]

You're not alone. The best ever experience I had with an Adder was when cycling in the New Forest - of course, no camera!!!

[jamiewade94]

was the Rabbit dead?

[dmclean2]

Iv'e started carrying mie to work with me, Just in case!
But in saying that the weather has been terible, but it's there just waiting
he he!.
Duncan