Rarest animal you have seen out
- Thread starter GreenmanBushcraft
- Start date
All mine are in the UK. I recently saw red squirrel on a trip to Brownsea island. I've seen a golden eagle on Eigg. I've only seen a firecrest once, but I don't know how uncommon they are.
Hmm, what have I seen?
Golden eagles - always in the distance though, red kites, otters, minke whale and Risso's dolphin (from the shore), greyhen. I've seen a photo a friend had taken of a pine marten walking down a road in Lochalsh.
Of course some of the species that are still fairly common up here are rare in other parts of the UK. There are good numbers of buzzards, ravens, crows, lapwings, skylarks around where I live
On the other hand I've not seen a hare for years, red grouse are very rare, and black grouse haven't been resident since the 30's.
I'm still hoping to see orcas, pine marten, wildcat and sea eagle in particular.
Golden eagles - always in the distance though, red kites, otters, minke whale and Risso's dolphin (from the shore), greyhen. I've seen a photo a friend had taken of a pine marten walking down a road in Lochalsh.
Of course some of the species that are still fairly common up here are rare in other parts of the UK. There are good numbers of buzzards, ravens, crows, lapwings, skylarks around where I live
On the other hand I've not seen a hare for years, red grouse are very rare, and black grouse haven't been resident since the 30's.I'm still hoping to see orcas, pine marten, wildcat and sea eagle in particular.
A snake and a Mole
what did the mole taste like seen loads never thought of eating one though I may view them in a different light if their tasty
Cat's won't eat moles, so I don't fancy trying one myself :tapedshut
Could be missing out of course.
Could be missing out of course.
OK - my UK list
Otters, mink, Pine Marten, dolphin (sailed and canoed with them),Golden Eagle, Erne - Sea Eagle (Scotland), Osprey (Wales), Hen Harrier, Viper - tasty!
Otters, mink, Pine Marten, dolphin (sailed and canoed with them),Golden Eagle, Erne - Sea Eagle (Scotland), Osprey (Wales), Hen Harrier, Viper - tasty!
Grooveski said:
Did you see them in Scotland or were you south of the border? I've never seen them in Scotland. The dunes down at Penhale Sands (PDF) in Cornwall used to be covered it them during the summer.
In the UK I've seen Otter, Sea Eagle, Golden Eagle, Hen Harrier, Red Kite, Peregrine, Kingfisher, Divers (feathered variety! – Northern, Red and Black Throated), Osprey, Chough, Capercaillie, Hummingbird Hawkmoth (must have got blown off course ..... in Scotland fairly rare!), Glow Worm, Red Squirrel, Bottlenosed Dolphin (not particularly rare!), Great Crested Newt.
Would like to see:- Wildcat, Pine Martin (surprised I haven’t spotted one yet! Seen plenty of sign), native crayfish, basking shark, harvest mouse, sand lizard, smooth snake, natterjack toad, Eagle Owl!
some of the rarer sights I have seen in and around the British Isles
Wildcat( not a feral) pine martin up near Glen Affric, Golden eagle and a red squirrel I have also seen a grass snake and adders, also slow worms which aren't
Wildcat( not a feral) pine martin up near Glen Affric, Golden eagle and a red squirrel I have also seen a grass snake and adders, also slow worms which aren't
Otters. Pine Marten - years ago. Kingfisher - though that doesn't really count I'm supposing as I can go to one place on a local river and guarantee I'll see him within 10 mins. Basking shark. Water voles. In France a European beaver. Scottie Dog (She's wild - trust me).
Yup, Loch Fyne, not 100m from where the dodgy orca photo was taken.
Otters, lots of otters since I started paddling. Mainly brief glimpses but one day a pair with a young 'un spent over an hour in the bay we were camped in and weren't phazed by us at all. Watched them feeding and playing and they were only about ten foot away at one point.
Might have seen a female cappercaillie one day but not sure, have never seen a male.
One decent wildcat sighting years ago, and a glimpse of a tail disappearing into the scrub another time that hardly counts.
Does plankton count? I rowed a wee rowboat through an area of that bioluminescent stuff one night, like the northern lights in the water.
...and have walked along beaches a few times where each step lights up the sand around your feet.
Sika deer, I forget they aren't everywhere. Might be rare to some folk. Noisy buggers.
Met the momma of all wood wasps one day. Had no idea what it was at the time, scary monsters.
I was lucky enough to see glow worms a few years ago in Surrey. Never seen them since.
Rarest bird I've seen is a Dartford warbler.
Not so rare, but it was the first time I saw a close up of a weasel earlier this year.
Pablo.
Rarest bird I've seen is a Dartford warbler.
Not so rare, but it was the first time I saw a close up of a weasel earlier this year.
Pablo.
I have been lucky enough, to swim with a dolphin in the UK. Had otters which used to play about 15 yards from a house used to live in about once a week. Seen a water vole too!
Adder. Not quite in line but I was walking in the New Forest with my parents and as I went past a bit or gorse an adder struck out at my leg - it missed and landed on the path behind me and rapidly vanished off on the other side of the path. I didn't see it - but my parents who were behind me had a bit of a panic.
I found a common lizard in my mates potato patch the other month if that counts was able to pick him up and take a quick snap with my camera phone. Unfortunately the photo was cr@p. I have seen them before but not been that close.
Good thread and some great answers....Specially like the police man....
Rarest creature I have seen was a moth, but I can't remember its name....
Also seen red squirrels, otters, golden eagles, red kites, water rails, cetti's warbler, hobby, white tailed sea eagle, weasels, stoat, once caught a fish called a ruffe in the river medway, its a cross between a gudgeon and a perch...
Also saw a bird I wanted to see for years earlier this year, a lesser spotted woodpecker...
Oh, I have seen a woodwasp too Grooveski, awsome arn't they...
Rarest creature I have seen was a moth, but I can't remember its name....
Also seen red squirrels, otters, golden eagles, red kites, water rails, cetti's warbler, hobby, white tailed sea eagle, weasels, stoat, once caught a fish called a ruffe in the river medway, its a cross between a gudgeon and a perch...
Also saw a bird I wanted to see for years earlier this year, a lesser spotted woodpecker...
Oh, I have seen a woodwasp too Grooveski, awsome arn't they...
Could be the Pine Marten I saw a couple of months ago or the three wildcat kittens on the road near my house. That was a surprise.
Not sure about rare but the ones that I have enjoyed seeing have been Badger, Otter, Mink, Goldcrest, Golden Eagle, Perigrine falcon, Two kingfishers (mating), Red Squirrels. and although not rare I always like seeing foxes and Deer.
Not yet had the chance to see the Osprey at Bassenthwaite yet but will have to go there some day.
Not yet had the chance to see the Osprey at Bassenthwaite yet but will have to go there some day.
I saw a Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) once whilst out mushroom picking with my mother-in-law,it just sat there on a dead pine tree watching me watching it.
Apparently there are only about 200 nesting pairs in the whole of Spain.
Apparently there are only about 200 nesting pairs in the whole of Spain.
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