WHAT'S ONE OF THE BEST UNEXPECTED WILDLIFE SURPRISES THAT'S HAPPENED TO YOU ?

Great trip ahead then. Make sure you get extra batteries and cards for your camera, can't wait to see your photos from the trip. Africa is a paradise .. we've got to plan it ourselves at some point.

What a heart warming thread this is with all the beautiful pictures and wonderful stories. We sure are getting around the world. I am still thinking of what to write, but it will not compare with any of these, that's is for sure. Thanks Yas for starting this great adventure. Where will we be off to next I wonder?

You tell me catlady now you've said you'll share your story remember it's not how long or big the story but the love behind it, in all things wild ( could be the husband only joking !!!) so don't worry thats a order l'll love it what ever it's is has they say it's the taking part that matters. KD Yas

Hi Marina, have got spare cards. Its the sorting of 3000 pics when you get back that takes time. If you do ever plan the trip I would be happy to provide any thoughts/suggestions/ideas. Years ago I was lucky enough to have southern africa as my work patch, visiting 4/5 times a year to most of the countries & this will be our 3rd holiday.

Great Tony, thank you so much! We will be going for the lions and the elephants for sure, hopefully some other big cats. Hubby loves cheetahs too so they are in the plan. I know what you mean re: sorting the photos after, we are returning from wildlife holidays with tons of them too ... it's wonderful to take them and a headache to sort them! Which is one of the reasons I love seeing other people's photos, knowing they did all the work for me to enjoy, lol!

ps catlady don't worry if you don't feel like you feel comfortable with telling a story, l really understand, l was nervous too, especailly has l hadn't long told my story before on here, but it was one of my best ones, and mine didn't come any where near the strenght of the others has you will see by my likes.and l started the thread off has you know, thats how it goes, you never can tell. take care from Yas

Okay then, here is my contribution for what it is worth. Afraid it is nothing exotic, involving the larger animals from far afield, but was exciting enough for me. Swallows. Several years ago after we move out to the country the swallows returned. They always circled around and back and fore over the house but never built near the house. To my amazement one day they started to swoop right into the front porch, I thought at first they were investigating but no, they built a nest. You may not think this very exciting or interesting but I had really only started having an interest in the birds in the garden and was not even on here at that time. Anyway the eggs were laid and she would sit there so patiently. The front door was only ever used 1st thing in the morning for hubby to go to work (he was ordered to go out by the garage then )and the postman. I made a sign and stuck it to the door saying "please do not make a noise as there is a swallows nest above your head". I could always imagine folk standing there looking up, hoping the never got pooed on! Anyway the eggs hatched and two little bobble heads appeared over the top. I am no whizz at taking photos and only have a joe blogs camera but wanted to try and capture them, so I would open the door quickly and over the next few days got 3 nice photos of them looking out to hanging over the nest. I wanted to try and get a photo of them getting a tasty bit from the parents, so one day I opened the door to get my hands and camera out enough and closed it so the door was just ajar and to not upset the parents, and waited an waited, every time they came to feed I clicked. They were so fast at flying back and forth but eventually got the photo. You can see the nest, the babies, mum or dad and even the beastie in his/her mouth to feed the young. Further up the village there is an ornithologist who always welcomed knowing about the young birds and was happy to ring them, so I got him to come and do that. The babies were almost ready to fly and as he went to get the first one it shot out of the nest, so no ring there but he did ring the second and placed it back in the nest. I wonder if those ones ever returned? They come back every year but never re used that nest, eventually I took it down, in the hope they would rebuild. They are around this year but I have not seen them at the house yet, fingers crossed. I have prints of those 4 photos but they copy is long gone from the camera, one day I may try and scan them into the computer and see if I can get them on here to show you!! Hope you enjoyed my tale about the lovely swallows.

Lovely story indeed. Fingers crossed they will be back at the house again.

There you go Catlady the girl can do it !!!! has you say to me what a really lovely story, you told it so well,l hope hubby can come through the front door now. Thanks for sharing this story with us your a gem, know it wasn't easy. take care from yas

Hope I'm not too late, I've only just noticed this thread. So, here we go...

I was on holiday in North-West Scotland (beautiful part of the world, I must add!), and I had booked a wildlife watching boat trip on the Isle of Mull. So we travelled from Fort William to Tobermory, which was a very long drive, on which I saw my first Hen Harrier on a fencepost, my first Snow Bunting and my first Common Scoters. So we boarded the boat, saw many animals on the 4 hour trip, including 6 White-Tailed Eagles, 2 Peregrine, Shags, Kittiwakes, Guillemot, Razorbill, a Puffling (baby Puffin!), Grey Seals, Red-Throated Divers and lots of Ravens mobbing a Golden Eagle! But the highlight was the Harbour Porpoise. We saw about 3 porpoise, which gave sensational views, by surfacing right next to the boat! They were less than 3 metres away at some moments! The captain of the boat said that he had never seen them behave the way they did in all of his 30 year career.

Skua :)