Natural phenomena moment.

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henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
Who has seen a natural phenomena or something unusual when out.
I’ve seen a few..two Brocken spectra, one when our plane silhouette was cast down as a massive eerie image.
The other when I was on top of Snowdon in Wales, the train & trig point was down in the valley with human silhouettes below, a stand their mouth open moment..that was awesome.
The others are sun dog & winter halo around the moon, even the moon seamed to be pulsating on one occasion to which must of been atmospherics on earth.
The other things are for their sheer beauty like this 2mtr light prism cast on my floor(photo).198A4CD6-DD51-4C51-AFFD-E225F9C3CE48.jpeg2BB27C52-5F20-4E1D-981F-2211F10E8D21.jpeg
oh & a manky dead bird that seemed to be breathing which turned out to be maggots?
 

oldtimer

Full Member
Sep 27, 2005
3,186
1,801
82
Oxfordshire and Pyrenees-Orientales, France
The phenomenon that first comes to mind was looking DOWN on a thunderstorm at night from our camp in the Alps, but I have seen other phenomena over the years. Encounters with natural phenomena are, to me, are a major bonus of being out in Nature. I have yet to see the Northern Lights but live in hope.

Please excuse the teaching point, but 40 years in the classroom leaves its mark Phenomena is the plural. Phenomenon is the singular.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
1. One particular episode of the August Perseid meteor shower. There are places in Canada declared "Dark Sky" where artificial lighting is banned (get there before dark). One in Jasper National Park, less than 3 hrs east of me on HWY16.
We look sideways, not at the source of those coming straight at us.
Must have been 10-20 per minute and non stop for as long as I could stay awake.

2. Twice, I have witnessed pike killing and eating baby ducklings.

3. From a distance, watched 2 wolves foraging for mice and voles in the long grass along a pasture fence. They never knew I was there.
 

henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
1. One particular episode of the August Perseid meteor shower. There are places in Canada declared "Dark Sky" where artificial lighting is banned (get there before dark). One in Jasper National Park, less than 3 hrs east of me on HWY16.
We look sideways, not at the source of those coming straight at us.
Must have been 10-20 per minute and non stop for as long as I could stay awake.

2. Twice, I have witnessed pike killing and eating baby ducklings.

3. From a distance, watched 2 wolves foraging for mice and voles in the long grass along a pasture fence. They never knew I was there.
I’ve seen pike & zander taking duckling..so fast you hardly see it?
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
The duck comes out from shore, the ducklings trailing behind her. How idyllic.
They are a distraction to look at, a feature of the wild landscape.

All of a sudden, the ducklings scatter, swimming hard in every direction.
There's a big bulge in the water, then a big head then one less duckling.
Just as silently, the ducklings regroup behind Mummy and life goes on.
 
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bobnewboy

Native
Jul 2, 2014
1,293
847
West Somerset
If I can have a second go on this thread ;), I would also add that I very much enjoy watching kingfishers while I’m angling. Often all you hear is a quick ‘plop’, and turn quickly to see the bird ascending from the water to perch back on his/her favourite branch, with a small fish in the beak. On a river you can often get to see them flying along the length of the water like a blue and gold flash.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,766
Berlin
I think approximately one and a half year ago I had to hang a few concert posters into some restaurants around an inland harbour and had a free view there.

This evening the moon looked incredible large.
I never have seen it so near before.
It was totally impressive.

Unfortunately I was in such a hurry that I forgot to inform myself why that happened.
 

henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
I think approximately one and a half year ago I had to hang a few concert posters into some restaurants around an inland harbour and had a free view there.

This evening the moon looked incredible large.
I never have seen it so near before.
It was totally impressive.

Unfortunately I was in such a hurry that I forgot to inform myself why that happened.
I seen a large orange moon when I was younger, must of been around 1984..thought something had happened?
 
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FerlasDave

Full Member
Jun 18, 2008
1,760
533
Off the beaten track
Bioluminescence in the water around Newborough on Anglesey. It happens every year or two, and it’s incredible to paddle in.

Apparently the Aurora can be seen from the same place too, but I’ve not managed to witness that yet.
 
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FerlasDave

Full Member
Jun 18, 2008
1,760
533
Off the beaten track
I’m not sure about it being at the same time but definitely at the same place... I’ve no idea about the bioluminescence as it seems pretty specific to that part of the coast for whatever reason. I’m sure there’s someone on here that could answer that??
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,368
Bedfordshire
Seen the effect of those high altitude ice crystals a couple of times.
DSC01069.JPG

Aftermath of a tornado, so unlike normal high wind, trees twisted off half way up, and others left standing
PICT1123.JPG

Lowest and closest rainbow I have seen, driving in Colorado, struggled with camera focus.
DSC06612.JPGDSC06616.JPG

Arguably, sunsets do not count, but sometimes clouds line up just right to create very unusual effects.
Sunrise, looking like the sun is inside the cloud
DSC01247.JPG

Sunset with a snow storm
PICT1760.JPG
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
My mum and gran saw a tornado pass in front of my gran's house carrying a large branch from the big tree at the end of the garden. It's a private road parallel to the road it runs off and on to. The tornado followed that v private road. That was the year when water spouts were seen in morecambe bay.

I've seen brocken spectre but what is rarer and possibly related is the circular, halo rainbow that can form around an object with the sun heading towards sunset behind it. In my case a tree overlooking the river lune near KL and the devil's Bridge. Apparently it's an extremely rare occurrence anywhere in the world and has its own name like brocken spectre.
 
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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Small ones such as hundreds of lightning bugs (aka fireflies) Larger ones such as a wall of dust approaching and overtaking the flight line during a dust storm in Nevada. Billowing clouds of smoke from last year’s forest fires here in Florida.
 

Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
1,981
975
Canada
On a morning flight heading back from Germany with a mainly hungover football crowd, we flew right by the vertical part of a rainbow. Brought a coarse and jaded bunch to a moment of peace and reverie.
 
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