"You nearly gave me a heart-attack you stupid bird!" (1 Viewer)

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Do you think they keep a list of lifers?

 

[Michael Frankis]

They're probably thinking "Hurrah! Another one to scare witless, I love this game!" At least that's what I think every Woodpigeon i come across is thinking

Absolutely true, believe it or not! :eek!:

Startling (potential) predators is a very efficient way of gaining extra escape time.

Michael

 

[SimonC]

Absolutely true, believe it or not! :eek!:

Startling (potential) predators is a very efficient way of gaining extra escape time.

Michael

I had suspected as much, but you'd think they'd learn to differentiate between shotguns & tripods wouldn't you?

 

[HH75]

Hi Simon,
Would go along with Woodpigeon,Pheasant,Cetti's Warbler(the first one I saw in Bulgaria started singing a few feet away with no warning),also Common Snipe(OK,they usually flush at reasonable distance,but the odd tired migrant can really surprise you!).
Have only ever seen Woodcock in the breeding season,so haven't enjoyed the pleasure of flushing one at close range!
Harry H

 

[Strix]

Ruffed Grouse, all the time

 

[John Butler]

Closest encounter was with a Black-crowned Night Heron at La Marmoleja (Donana). I was creeping around a tamarisk tree to get views of a Montagu's Harrier and the darn heron flushed and actually caught the side of my head with its wingtip. Needless to say the tree is now well fertilized!!!!

John

 

[Catherine]

A flock of wild turkeys that took off a few feet in front of me. I was walking on a path through a county park with my dog and the noise from the turkey wings was amazing. The dog and I both had an adrenaline rush from that one. Best guess was that the turkeys were feeding on acorns as we were in a patch of oak trees.

 

[Reader]

I had forgotten about an encounter I had with a Red Grouse that totaly saddened me.

I was with a friend who was on a Ring Ouzel project at Invermark Lodge (approx 20 miles NW of Brechin). He had taken me to a Golden Eagle site. On the way back we were walking down hill when a couple of Red Grouse shot up in the air then I trod on something and heard a noise. I had trodden on a Red Grouse and it was in a desperate state. Blood was pouring out of its mouth and as much as I hated doing it I had to pull its neck. I have never done that before and actually pulled the head completely away from its neck and I wretched and wretched. It completely ruined the next few days for me as I couldn't get it out of my mind.

That was in 1999 and yet I still have bad memories of it. That is possibly the worst moment in my birding life and one I never want to repeat.

 

[Johnny1]

Doing an early morning walk round a woods I found the need to relieve myself, I headed for some nearby rhododendrons as I gave a sigh of relief a woodcock hurtled out of the bush... talk about splashed wellies!!!

 

[jdbirdman]

Ruffed Grouse, all the time

When a Capper drops down from a 10 foot Scots pine sappling almost to your face before flying off,Paramedics won't be of use. Talking from experience Its my most.........Why you Stupid F#~* bird moments!!"

john
wwwbtinternet.com/~jdbirdman

 

[Steve Jones]

Woodcock have done me this way too, but the worst has to be Grey Partridge - usually several at once - makes you need to stand still until your heartbeat resumes its normal rythm!
Steve.

 

[jayhunter]

Pheasants and wood Pigeons whilst walking alone through woods always get the heart racing. But I would have liked to see the Owl having a go at a cat, would have made my day. Tables turned and all that!

 

[SimonC]

But I would have liked to see the Owl having a go at a cat, would have made my day. Tables turned and all that!

Not only was that a "year tick" at the time, it was also one of the funniest things I'd seen for ages :-O

It's always funny seeing a cat get buzzed by a bird - one minute they're walking along, looking smug (the way cats do), the next, they've jumped three feet straight up and lost what dignity they thought they had - BRILLIANT!!!!

 

[Fraser Milne]

Red Grouse for me - especially when you are walking over a quiet moor and one explodes from under your feet - enough to pee yer kilt!

 

[guffers]

Pheasant IMO.

 

[jayhunter]

Nice one Simon makes one believe that there is someone up there looking after things!!

 

[rogerk]

I remember walking through a wood in deepest hertfordshire with simonc when a woodcock got up unexpectedly (as evidently they do) and the said mr c called "snipe!". Has anyone else called out an equally erroneous/embarrassing/live-to-regret-it-for-the-rest-of-your-born-days-and-always-brought-up-in-conversation-every-time-said-bird-is-seen identification?

 

[SimonC]

I remember walking through a wood in deepest hertfordshire with simonc when a woodcock got up unexpectedly (as evidently they do) and the said mr c called "snipe!". Has anyone else called out an equally erroneous/embarrassing/live-to-regret-it-for-the-rest-of-your-born-days-and-always-brought-up-in-conversation-every-time-said-bird-is-seen identification?

Thanks for that Rog :-C

 

[jayhunter]

I think Roger should think of changing his Avatur if he is going to keep bringing your Snipe outburst up. Looks suspiciously like the Lady Amehurst Pheasant that somebody at the beginning of this thread was looking for!

 

[Jane Turner]

I did once nearly stand on a hoopoe...I was climbing up a small bank to check though a gull roost at Frodsham, ... I swore lots and failed to speak the word Hoopoe.. fortunately I made enough noise to attract the attention of other birders