Close encounters with wildlife

[Fan of Big Tone]

Has anyone had a close encounter with wildlife? Tell us your story, here’s mine.

Picture the scene we were camping on the banks of the Thames, I was fishing in a secluded little bay with reeds and foliage all around, quietly sitting there I suddenly heard a rustling in the undergrowth, to my amazement an otter suddenly appeared at the side of me, I couldn’t believe my eyes, stupidly, instead of sitting perfectly still, I said “hello” and it took one look at me and scooted off back from where it came never to be seen again. I don’t know what I was thinking it was hardly going to engage in conversation and say “hello how are you isn’t it a lovely day”. 

Thats my story anyone else got one?

 

[Magic magpie]

Ive got to say I never had apart ftom when a dog bit me but that was it. 

Sounds like a lovely experience mate you can’t beat a otter cute little things

[samwatto2008]

Funny, seen two snakes in two days around my area and in 19 years up until now I had never seen one in the wild. Also had a roe deer make my back garden home last year for 3 days. 

[super_ram]

When we first moved to our present home we had a family of hedehogs regularly  cross our garden at dusk.That was 27 years ago but we didn't have any more hedgehog visits till last year  but that one died in our garden.Another hedgehog kept appearing in our garden in the spring but that one also died.

Several years ago we had a white rabbit running around the garden but I think that was an escaped pet.

We've had frogs in the garden. I was weeding once and went to pick up a stone but it jumped away and almost gave me a heart attack.

Squirrels also come into the front and back gardens,running along the fences and climbing the trees.

Foxes also give us a visit snooping around looking for food.

We're also lucky with the variety of birds visiting our garden-Thrush,Robin,Blue ***,Sparrow,etc but our favourite of course has to be the Magpies

No Rams though !

[Fan of Big Tone]

53 minutes ago, super_ram said:

 

We've had frogs in the garden. I was weeding once and went to pick up a stone but it jumped away and almost gave me a heart attack.

My wife was going out so she went to put her shoes on which were by the back door and a frog jumped out and frightened her to death, the cat had brought it in and it must have hid in the shoe to get away from the cat. 

[Fan of Big Tone]

1 hour ago, samwatto2008 said:

Funny, seen two snakes in two days around my area and in 19 years up until now I had never seen one in the wild. Also had a roe deer make my back garden home last year for 3 days. 

Probably the hot weather bringing them out @samwatto2008, if it rears up and it’s tail starts to rattle run a mile. 

[super_ram]

3 hours ago, samwatto2008 said:

Funny, seen two snakes in two days around my area and in 19 years up until now I had never seen one in the wild. Also had a roe deer make my back garden home last year for 3 days. 

When I lived in Alfreton our garden more or less backed on to counrtyside..Me and my friends were always playing in the woods or in fields away from humans but never encountered any animals other than cows,dogs and cats 

[liampie]

i have seen plenty of foxes roaming the streets at night in clifton, they seem harmless enough. i dont try speaking to wild animals like @Fan of Big Tone, i just let them go about their business. 

[CliftonMagpie]

Foxes are about it, sometimes you will catch the glimpse of less common birds but I have no idea what most are called.

[Fan of Big Tone]

2 hours ago, liampie said:

i have seen plenty of foxes roaming the streets at night in clifton, they seem harmless enough. i dont try speaking to wild animals like @Fan of Big Tone, i just let them go about their business. 

I think I had a Dr Doolittle moment when I saw my otter.

[super_ram]

I talk to the Robins when I'm in the garden.We have more than one that comes up quite close and watches intently while I'm weeding.He/she stands there with his/her head on one side as if taking it all in of what I'm saying and often start  whistling/chirping as if in conversation.Mind you when I talk to the Squirrels they just look back at me as if I'm barmy.

[liampie]

33 minutes ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

I think I had a Dr Doolittle moment when I saw my otter.

no wonder the otter ran off. lol

[Chris]

I've seen plenty of foxes around where I live, they're very common and one of the alleyways between my neighbours that is now unused is a den. hedgehogs used to be common, sadly the only time I see them now is when they've been ran over or eaten by cats.

It's just not very common to see them at all these days.

Growing up there used to be wild bats that lived in a tree in one of the neighbours gardens, the young ones used to fly around all the time at time.

At Bulwell, one of the parks near the Golf Course has a lot of Badgers and that location is the only time I've seen a living one in my life.

[Wilfordpie]

I used to have an owl that lived in one of my trees in the background but it seems that a family of woodpeckers have decided to nest there.

[Fan of Big Tone]

On 16/07/2018 at 16:42, super_ram said:

Mind you when I talk to the Squirrels they just look back at me as if I'm barmy.

I’ve heard squirrels are a very good judge of character.

[super_ram]

2 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

I’ve heard squirrels are a very good judge of character.

I've heard the same of Otters @Fan of Big Tone