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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dantheman" data-source="post: 2758054" data-attributes="member: 32998">Day One ... final bitAnother large meadow stretched into the distance. A quick scan with the bins revealed 3 distant grey shapes out in the middle of the extensive sweep, but an odd bird vocalisation nearby caught my attention … regardless, views of the cranes would be so much better in Milda’s scope. ‘The Cranes are over there I said’ to her as she caught up, indicating roughly the part of the meadows they were in. I don’t know quite what was making the odd noises (perhaps a Thrush Nightingale with a nasty throat infection?), because a moment later Milda exclaimed in a rather strange quiet tone ‘I think I’ve got a wolf’. Her urgent, hushed tones would have caught my attention straight away, even if she hadn’t mentioned the W word.At this point I was somewhat taken aback as a) Wolves are a bit unusual b) I didn’t even know that they occurred in Lithuania c) I wasn’t expecting Milda to say something like this.Something did click into place however, with regard to those 3 dim grey shapes I’d seen in the bins – two rounded, one a bit longer and more of a rectangle or oblong, or some such similar shape* …Taking a look through the scope in turn, we rather gobsmackingdly agreed it did indeed appear to be a Wolf (at any rate it wasn't a badger, dog or seemingly anything else). The evening light was not that great, and it was rather a long way off, but the large grey creature, slowly escorted to safety by the pair of perhaps slightly indignant cranes, did indeed appear rather wolflike, at least based on my expectations of what a wolf should look like. Large and rangy, easy-limbed and certainly unlike any mere dog I’ve ever seen. This was quite good ... very good tbh!It was slowly making its way through the distant open meadowland, at one point disappearing from view as it traversed a ditch. However, still accompanied by its two be-feathered bodyguards it soon reappeared, continuing with a slow lolloping easy gait for maybe fifty yards or less at a stretch, whereupon it would it would stop and turn on its haunches, as casual as if it was merely viewing the scenery. Often it would then disappear completely in the long grass as it presumably lay down. Lapwings swooped and skimmed as they moved forward – up to 20 or so at one point, and although I didn’t see it (should have carried both scopes with us), flushed and attempted to pluck from the air a roosting harrier. The cranes, keeping their watchful eyes on the beast, eventually decided they need accompany it no more. As it came closer to us on the angle, and even face on at one point, we could pick out the long narrow muzzle, upright rounded ears, with white underchin and throat distinctive, a long decurved tail, the general essence and jizz of its long rangy body probably being etched indelibly onto our memories forever. Not bad! It continued to get closer, upon reaching the edge of the meadow and the dividing belt of trees we had crossed over from the River Warbler side, it    suddenly became aware of our presence, at approximately five or six hundred metres, and it was off. In the opposite direction unfortunately (and predictably, perhaps). We were out in the open, relatively speaking, not having thought to get under cover of the nearby trees whilst we could. Maybe we could have enjoyed closer views, but there you go. We had been able to enjoy the animal working its way through the meadows for over half an hour, so we weren't complaining!(To put the sighting into some perspective, this was a lifer for Milda too, in her 8 or so years birding the wild places of Lithuania this was her first wolf. And I had it on my Lithuania (and world) list within 5 hours of setting foot off the plane!)The cranes were quite nice too, although I don’t think I really registered them as much more than large grey shapes resembling a pair of rotund fuzzy grey Roadrunners, as famously depicted accompanying the infamous Wile E Coyote, of Warner Brothers fame.Two Woodcock chasing and calling overhead (a pair?) were very nice too, helping confirm the earlier sighting just that little bit more, and to round off this side of the meadows one of those frogs that sound far too much like Savi’s Warblers for my liking calling from somewhere along the ditch, with a Quail calling briefly from the meadows. And so, on to the other side, where the River Warbler (plus at least two others) was still merrily trilling its heart out in hope of a suitee (or whatever the female equivalent of the suitor should be called). I crept closer with the hope of full frontal views (bird porn at its best?), but although I was successful it was now really rather gloomy, so views weren’t the best. I could at least make out the mottled upper breast markings as a darker smudge, so I was happy. A trio of Corncrakes calling at hand, Thrush Nightingales competing nearby, all contributing at once, the atmosphere was perfect. It doesn't get much better than this.Back, rather happy, to the automobile, a couple more cranes alongside us close by, and a final swansong of a Thrush Nightingale (that would be some mimicry …) nicely illuminated in the car headlights on the track back to the main road and civilization, and perhaps slightly more traditionally, a Nightjar a little further along, eyes aglow in our nightlights.All in all, not a bad start to the trip. Three excellent new birds for the day – Corncrake, River Warbler … and Wolf!(*Unrelated to pretty much anything else going on, all this talk about shapes clicking into place brings to mind that children’s play shape thing from someone’s childhood – excellent device it was too – the <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/#safe=off&sclient=psy-ab&q=shape+o+ball+&oq=shape+o+ball+&gs_l=hp.12..0l3j0i22i30l7.5395.5395.2.7445.1.1.0.0.0.0.121.121.0j1.1.0...0.0...1c.1.17.hp.709g6c5CKOQ&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48293060,d.d2k&fp=ae75b14b393fb590&biw=1280&bih=825" target="_blank">'shape o ball'</a> google tells me it was called)**(**It should be noted that the use of these star thingies***will still continue, but hopefully in reasonable moderation, from here on in).(***I’ve since remembered that they’re actually called Asterixes. Goscinny and Uderzo notwithstanding)****(****Unbelievable! There’s still excessive use of the asterixes going on in this thread!!! (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix" target="_blank">Link</a> for the uninitiated, just in case it's required.))</blockquote>

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