Cool Wildlife Sightings - All The Earth's Creatures Great And Small

[James B.]

These things help take my mind off my symptoms, and often lend a renewed sense of perspective. If ya got a story, or just love wildlife, post up...

First off, let me take a moment and share with you my unabashed love of Bats.
Take a few minutes if you will and check out one of my favorite sites, Batworld.org. Go to Batworld sanctuary, and click on 'In Memory'. Batworld rescues and rehabilitates injured bats. The pics and stories are amazing. Profound even, stuff makes me cry, but in a good way. Enjoy :-)

Last summer I had a close encounter with a large albino Bat. It occured while sleeping under the stars in the desert on a full moon. I always speak to the wildlife I see, and have accumulated years of nights sleeping in tents, or under the stars, living outdoors in parks and national monuments. That is what saved me. I would not be alive had it not been for nature and playing different games in the natural world. I am sure of it...

Anyway, this was one special Bat. Pure white. At first I didn't know what it was, a large bird out flying on a moonlit summers night? Not an owl. I was lying in my sleeping bag enjoying the absoulte silence and solitude, and there a flash against the black sky. Then it came again, and again, and then I could tell it was a big bat. "Hello pretty bat", I said. It flew closer, then closer still. "Oh what a pretty Bat." It kept making passes, coming in lower and lower until it flew about four feet above my face, I kept speaking to it the whole time. Then, on its final pass, it flew up, right over me, and did a perfect mid-air stall directly overhead, illuminated by the impossibly huge full moon. Breathtaking! It had indeed acknowledged me, this rare creature of the night. I was awestruck. Native American lore says this is very good luck, by the way. :-)

I got a bunch of stories, but that is all for now. Thanks for letting me share and have a swell evening everyone, where ever you are. I hope you are doing ok. It is not easy living with our sh*t, so I am hopeing this tiny story and maybe the Batworld site brings you a moment of peace and a smile.

sincerely,
James B.

 

[winterose]

James,

What an awesome experience! Thank you for sharing it. Animals do have a way of communicating. I have a few wild life stories of my own from being in the desert. Coyotes being one. Red Tail Hawk being another. And a lone wolf. I also loved the James Harriot series you based your title on. I used to get lost in his books and the series that ran on PBC when I was a kid.

 

[anni]

Oh my. I am glad bats have their supporters, too, and will make every effort to view them in a new light the next time I'm sweeping them out from behind the shutters. I had no idea there was a bat rescue! Good for them!

Yesterday I saw a Baltimore Oriole, a Red-Winged Blackbird, and Mr. and Mrs. Pheasant taking a family walk with the children across the road by our lane.

 

[rjtransient]

James,

Very cool experience, indeed. Thank you for sharing the story. Thank you as well for bringing back a huge set of positive memories. I loved Batworld, even considered making a trip to the States to learn about rehabilitation.

Winterose, ooh, desert stories. Do share, if you feel comfortable doing so.

Anni, I'm not sure if it's an appropriate response, but your comment made me LOL. (Oh, that's newfangled Internet slang for "Laughing Out Loud". :p)

 

[amethist]

I love going to work early mornings, because I get to see more wildlife than through the winter.

At the bus stop I usually wait at, I get to see Blue-tits, Collared doves, Blackbirds and occasionally Green finches. If I am really lucky I see Canada Geese or Ducks flying over.

One day last week I had to use a different stop, wow was it worth it, a Vixen ran across the road about 20 ft in front of me. She had been scavenging for food as she was carrying something.

What wonderful things we can see, if we only took more time to stop and look more often.

Amethist

 

[ISupportHer]

Not much in the way of wild life in the city here. In near bye rural areas we see white tail deer, owls, red fox and various smaller animals like racoons and snakes, all of which I have seen.

Went on an Alaskan cruise a few years back. Saw moose. whale, seals and a gizzly bear from a boat. Thank goodness the bear was not face to face, LOL.

ISH

 

[James B.]

^^^
I understand Peregrine falcon have habituated to the urban centers worldwide due to the availability of big fat pidgeons. Not an easy bird to spot, a dot in the sky, a streak and a shriek, then poof! No more pidgeon.

Birds are awesome aren't they...living near steep hilly terrain with rocky outcrops: we got birds. Wow. Have had two very nice Golden Eagle sightings: truely grandure in motion. 50 inch wingspan easy. Funny how the raven's (crows) get aggro with them, and the other raptors. I watched a crow get in some prarie falcon's face, the falcon was pissed. It took off, flew way above the crow, then dove -full attack - straight down. The crow had to roll over on its back in mid air to fend off the falcon. This happened sevral times, mortal war. Finally, the crow, maybe exhausted, bailed and hid in some bushes, chalk one up to a fiesty raptor.

I was standing in my front yard, enjoying the view one afternoon, when three Peregrine hunters flew past at mach speed. I was amazed at their speed. One afternoon I got to watch a Peregrine pluck and clean a bird it had just taken. It let me get to within about 25 feet, and I took a bunch of pics.

Spotted about six snakes so far this spring, two gopher snakes, two red racers (one in my front yard) a juvenile rattlesnake (reddish type with black stripes near the rattle) and, best of all a very nice and totally mellow Rosy Boa. They are so calm and gentle. I thought of picking it up, but didn't want to mess with its head. It seemed like it was in a good groove: looking for mice, I suspect. I got some really good pics of it as it slowly crossed by dirt driveway.

Have only seen one desert tortoise, many years ago. They are maybe the most amazing of all. How can they live? So slow, they seem so soltiary. I guess they are very much endangered too: the park service asks that we avoid them and do not disturb when sighted.

I am with you on the grizzly bear ISH, I kinda hope I never see a mountain lion, especially alone and a long ways from the trail head. Yikes. They are serious predators, have read many scary stories...

 

[anni]

We were in the woods yesterday, having the requisite Memorial Day picnic ( yes, a day removed ) and a large black snake came out of the woods, crawled up a tree 3 feet from the table, looked around, crawled back down and went away. I think he was just scouting for something, I'm not sure what-bear or forest fire? It really was enjoyable to watch him, although my niece was not a fan. She said she'd never seen so many people NOT kill a snake in her life.

It's spring here, and we think the same pair of hawks from last year is back to raise another family. I have to ask someone who knows birds of prey better than I what kind of hawks are most likely to be around here in Central PA. I also almost ran over a grouse family taking their family for a walk on the macadam. I wish all these lovely little animals would't frequent the road so much. It's worrying.

 

[rjtransient]

Hawks, grouse, black rat snake (?) - it sounds as if your species distribution is similar to ours. (I, too, wish the little guys would stay away from the road! We have the same problem with bunnies.)

Red-tailed hawks are a common sight here. Occasionally I'll see an owl perched on a street lamp. Earlier this spring, I watched two ravens in an acrobatic chase, wheeling around and diving between power lines. I couldn't adjust the shutter speed fast enough. The two of them have built a nest in the rocks on the escarpment trail.

Our peregrine falcons are making a comeback. There's a protected nesting site on the harbour, but I've seen them in the city.

Speaking of urban wildlife, my family has a resident opossum and a baby raccoon which both show up to eat the dry cat food on the porch. There's a bat colony in the trees on the street - I seem to be the only one who can hear their screeching at night.

 

[a3a2]

I can't get enough of wildlife (except rats...bad experience)! Did you know if you spot a deer, and they start to run, a high pitch whistle usually stops them in their tracks? As a kid, our sheep would confuse disorientated fawns. They would run up our driveway and try to get in with the sheep. Later, as a young adult giving trail rides in the woods, the deep would walk right up to our horses and touch noses (usually spooking the horses quite badly). I helped to raise an orphan raccoon. Very fun!

 

[James B.]

Since my learning disability is so pronounced, it takes me forever to get new skills. I have to slice up any goal into little comparments, practice each one, then put 'em all together - that is how I learned to surf in the late '80's. It took like 2.5 years, but paid off one summers day during a very warm south swell near the Mexican border - the water was teeming with a large school of porpoise! I saw one surfer lean over and stroke the back of one as it broke water...

The porpoise were just lolling around, enjoying the water and hanging out. I grabbed my board and paddled out. It was a bit unnerving being so close to such large mammels in the ocean. I got a couple decent waves, and then it happened. The porpise were surfing the waves too! I found myself on a nice head high wave, in good form, with - I kid you not - one porpise behind and three in front, diving and jamming along, surfing with me! I couldn't cut straight down the line, had to stay "in formation" with the porpise. I was stunned. They are so beautiful, what a delight.

Maybe not a big deal to those who spend a lot of time in the ocean, but it was a really special experience for me, a terrific memory that will stay with me the rest of my life. I was so blown away, got out of the water early and just sat on the beach, reflecting on my incredible good luck. :-)

Once, years before, in the pre-dawn darkness, was paddling out and a large whale slowly and gently broke water right in front of me - it was so huge I kinda freaked, turned around and paddled back to shore. Pretty funny...

 

[a3a2]

Would have scared me to death! But I still wish I could have seen it!

I love catching turtles, frogs, lizards and snakes with my son. Perhaps as an adult I should be bored with such an activity, but I can't get enough of seeing animal life close up. Even dragonflies fascinate me.