Outdoorsy Shite Top Trumps: March

[Slubberdegullion]

Flora or Fauna.

Extra points for a photo.

Handicap will apply to those in Forrin. Monthly win will not automatically go to, for example, a Cougar spot. The Cougar will need to be doing something awesome, like fighting a bear or doing sudoku.

Calm reflective light
Two sleek black backs slice the sea
"Poffffff!" then they are gone.

Feckin genius

Well I saw a violet by a mossy stone, half hidden from the eye. It was fair as a star when only one is shining in the sky...

A man toad and a lady toad are doing the special cuddle in my pond as we speak.

I'm excited to learn about Ariel being a pirate.

A man toad and a lady toad are doing the special cuddle in my pond as we speak

Extra points for a 'David Attenborough moment' surely (except if its pigeons or mallards)

Actually Ariel isn't a pirate, the clue is in the name, she's a mermaid. (possibly a piratical one. There's no other reasonable explanation for the frequency of her aquatic sightings)

Can a sound count? I sleep with my window wide open and I was woken up by the loudest dawn chorus I have ever heard. There must have been thousands of birds singing their hearts out, it was astonishing. I actually thought 'I should record this for OS' but then I realised it was about 5.30 or some such bollocks so I went back to sleep instead

Oh do keep on with the marine spottings, despite invoking mahoosive jealousy it warms the cockles to know that stuff is going on out there even if I can't see it.

(PM me too please, I am very nosy)

The dawn chorus was fab here too. The birds must know that we have turned the corner into longer days.

Hurrah!

You'll be even more jealous if she PMs you. (I mean, who wouldn't be jealous of a piratical mermaid?)

But absolutely the marine sightings are a joy.

it warms the cockles
how apt Though probably I'm in better cockle territory (morecambe bay area) - you don't see them but you see the evidence of them in the number of waders.

Ariel the Pirate Mermaid. Very Gilbert and Sullivan.

I am so jealous of the porpoises. I don't think I've ever seen one. Though I have seen dolphins, which I think are just bigger versions. Maybe.

The dawn chorus sounds amazing too.

Am I allowed to mention sea kyaking and being surrounded by a whole pod of porpoises? I know it was a while ago and not in March so Slubber will probably tell me off.

Dramatic pause...

How lovely. I wish I could do that.

I think you can have spots that are on land, sea, or air; that are visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory (smelled some lovely blossom yesterday: sharp and sour), or even (if you are prepared to lick wildlife) gustatory.

But I have learned to my cost that you risk Slubber's ire with any non-March spot, whatever its element or sensory dimension.

I am getting excited about the judging by the way. Is the prize an all-in spa day or Boden vouchers? Has anyone checked with MN?

Ellis Brigham vouchers, surely? Or a bear watching trip.

Do you think we should invite MN to judge our spots? As a flattering, suck-them-in next step in our very polite love bomb campaign for £200 a year and a topic of our own.

I want to go Whale Watching.

MNHQ - dunno - will they appreciate the diverse nature of our sightings?

Like my oyster catcher on the Pennines in early March - now that is unusual (not trying to big my contribution up you understand).

But yes, we do need to suck up to them so why not......

Whale watching would be incredible.

Maybe we could create our own short list with little explanations a to why they're significant. And then MN could choose from that.

[in parentheses as I've no idea what month and certainly not this March - I went whale watching off Cape Cod many moons ago. It really is very special - the whales are interested in the boats, the watching isn't a one-way thing!]

That sounds wonderful. It is the same with grey seals, too. When I've seen them (on a small island off the Lleyn peninsular whose name I have forgotten) and in Northumbria) I definitely get the feeling that they are observing humans with the same sort of relaxed curiousity as that with which the humans are observing them.

What is that island? Very small, begins with B, has a spiritual community in retreat on it.

Bardsey Island?

Sorry Grimma but I need to know what month you saw Whales off Cape Cod. I was planning a whale watching trip for my 40th birthday, then discovered I was pregnant and decided not to bother. I think I was looking at Alaska.

DD is 12 now and probably old enough to really appreciate seeing whales (and her mother crying as I would, I would) but would love advice on the best places and times to see them.

Actually, ignore me, I can spend many happy hours googling to find out.

Love seeing the seals around Anglesey. When I walk the dog in a morning, down to a quiet cove, I love it when a head suddenly pops up and fixes you with that liquid stare.

Maybe we could have an outdoorsy shite wildlife spots historical section where I / we could boast, I mean talk about all the wonderful things that I / we have seen. That weren't in March.

Oh goody. I do the Kruger Park every couple of years.

I have lists, long lists........

Oh yes, Bardsey. Thank you.

Even my historical spots are fairly tame. A humming bird. A small crocodile.

Are you going to start that thread Nemo?

Done! :D