What Wildlife Experience .......

PMG · #1 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 02:07 PM

Here's a Challenge springing from Britains Top 40 thread!

What wildlife experience/sighting can you not live without each year? What thing or sighting must you go and take a peek at? What experience makes you return each year just to check that all is well in 'its' world and yours! What place or thing must you visit once in each 12 months that makes you feel on top of the world?

I have so many I'm not going to take up pages and pages here: but I do repeat certain places to see certain things just because I love seeing that certain thing: a 'secret' bluebell wood, a lesser horseshoe bat roost, the machair, teesdale flowers and birds, lakeland colours, Clumber Park!, Roudsea Wood, Anglesey, certain orchids and butterflies, the starling roost ...... sometime for interest I will make a list and the months that these things happen in ...... but what do you go and 'doff' your cap at every so often??

Deb London · #2 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 03:08 PM

Interesting question. So much has changed in my life over the years, and I'm always looking forwards and never back. It's hard for my to think of a place that I have wanted to visit regularly.

But I think things might change for me in the near future, as roots are starting to sprout. So I'll look ahead to somewhere I hope to visit regularly if I may. I've worked bloomin' hard this year with a conservation group at a small local nature reserve. We are working to benefit a number of species. In particular, we've been digging ponds for Great Crested Newts. Next year I will want to see how they are settling into their new homes. And subsequently wherever I am, no matter where in the World, I'm fairly sure I'll want to make an annual pilgrimage there.

At least for as long as the land can be kept from the clutches of the developers.

solus · #3 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMG

What wildlife experience/sighting can you not live without each year?

Puffins!

Quite simply, I feel my year has been incomplete if I have failed to see at least one of these enigmatic little birds, and preferably lots! Sadly, 2010 has been my first "missed" year for ... well, I can't remember how many, as circumstances have conspired to prevent us being in one of the right places at the right time.

*sobs* Still, I mustn't be greedy as I saw enough last year to (in theory!) last me for the next few years, when we went on a superb RIB trip from Elgol in Skye to the island of Canna. On the way back we achieved one of my long-held ambitions of having Dolphins playing right under the bows - fantastic!

PMG · #4 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solus

Puffins!

Quite simply, I feel my year has been incomplete if I have failed to see at least one of these enigmatic little birds, and preferably lots! Sadly, 2010 has been my first "missed" year for ... well, I can't remember how many, as circumstances have conspired to prevent us being in one of the right places at the right time.

*sobs* Still, I mustn't be greedy as I saw enough last year to (in theory!) last me for the next few years, when we went on a superb RIB trip from Elgol in Skye to the island of Canna. On the way back we achieved one of my long-held ambitions of having Dolphins playing right under the bows - fantastic!

Oooh thats pretty special as experiences go! Last year we saw 4 seperate basking sharks from the ferry ........ the sea was glassy calm and we could see quite a way into the water. One of the sharks was coming stright for the side of the boat - it was literally almost touching the side with its nose before turning away - it went into a graceful S-shape and I could see every detail right below me - its spots, eyes, gills, fins, body - all of it like looking down into a big tank ....... the camera was in my hand but I was spell-bound by just looking I didn't want to take my eyes of it - not even to take a photo - which is unusual for me!!

RoyW · #5 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 05:18 PM

I'm quite easily pleased - I don't think that there is anything, or anywhere, that I feel that I have to see each year. I'd probably be upset, and certainly surprised, if I didn't see any dragonflies, but other than that if I go for a couple of years (or longer) between visits to a place/sightings of something, it makes it even better when I do see them again.

There are quite a few things that are especially pleasing (eg. seabird colonies, "falls" of migrant birds, Otters, Pine Martens, any cetaceans, anything that I haven't seen before etc. etc.), but these are all things that I don't get to see every year.

Naturenutz · #6 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 07:15 PM

That's a very good question Pauline

.
Every year i look for the first local Redwings and Fieldfares to arrive in winter.The Frogspawn to arrive in my pond in spring.Every year a make a few week long trips to the Dorset coastline ,Chesil beach and Portland area ,Super variety of flora and fauna.
I have to say i spend more time looking for things i have not seen.Every year i look for short eared owl wintering on my local patch,as well as Merlin and a Hobby in summer.None of these have obliged me as yet.

david156 · #7 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 09:58 PM

I always look out for the first swallows. The swallowtail butterflies and Norfolk Hawkers can't be missed, booming Bitterns at Minsmere in the spring, The rare spring and autumn migrants on the norfolk coast can be exciting, and the seal pups at Horsey Gap in November are all looked forward too.

Cheers David.

Sparklebug · #8 (**permalink**) 22-11-2010, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMG

Last year we saw 4 seperate basking sharks from the ferry ........

I understand this totally, I have seen a huge pod of these about 30 all meandering, and well apart from being spell bound I actually had tears streaming down my chops with the overwhelming emotion of it, it was that spectacular! No pics, too busy gawping......

Things I couldn't miss.......bluebells, autumn colours, the dippers busy in spring, frogs spawning in my local woods and I love seeing the first bumblebees of the year, signalling better weather!

Ukwildlifeo · #9 (**permalink**) 23-11-2010, 08:26 PM

Oh Ill probably think of something better but Im going to go with stag beetles - seeing them fortunately involves me standing in my garden on warm June nights

UB4 gardener · #10 (**permalink**) 23-11-2010, 09:49 PM

nice thread. the only 2 things that i can really think of, bluebells and the evening packs of low flying screeching swifts.
i could spend hours standing on the causway at Staines reservoir watching the swifts martins and swallows.
the only other once a year trip used to be to Wraysbury gravel pits in the winter to see the smew.

Chris