For me 2019 has been very much about experiencing wildlife with others. It’s the first year I have watched badgers go about their business from a guided RSPB badger hide and the first time I have been on a bat walk run by the Rivers Trust. I’ve also looked for ring ouzels in the Slaidburn fells with the RSPB and done this year’s bird and butterfly counts with my nephew, niece and sister. Family has joined me in all the above and it has been a joy watching wildlife with them. 🙂
Sometimes I can be out and about with Wil and the dog and we will spy something special. Recently we saw a red squirrel at NT Acorn Bank, I have been hoping to see one since buying our caravan in Cumbria this year.
There have been a few rare moments when I’ve been completely alone and immersed myself in nature. Just spending three hours in the woodland near my Mum’s in Askham back in May was such a treat, I saw jays, woodpeckers, buzzards, a weasel and wildflowers galore.
In 2019 I witnessed my first badgers ( I’m definitely not counting the squashed ones I’ve seen on the roadside), my first humming bird hawk moth, my first Crossbill, my first ring ouzels and my first slow worm!
I am not always able to get photos though, so it was very special when I managed to snap the barn owl that visits my sister’s croft, be it through a pane of glass. Below are some of the wildlife I have captured on camera..
What have been your own favourite wildlife moments of 2019?
sunshine and celandines 
What a wonderful collection of photos. I have never seen a Crossbill it is a bird I would love to see, their bill always looks amazing in pictures but to see it in real life would be a treat. My best wildlife moments have been when we were out on events with the Cumbria Wildlife Trust this year, we have been dragonfly counting, butterfly monitoring and wild flower identification every time we saw some amazing wildlife and went to some new to us places with some really interesting people, all for free!
The events with the Wildlife Trust and RSPB are such a good idea. I cannot believe I hadnt been on any until this year. You get to see so much wonderful wildlife. X
That’s a great year’s wildlife summary. A crossbill is a bit of a coup
Yes there were two in a conifer , first time I’d seen any. 🙂 Thank you.
Lovely pictures as always 😊. Recently I’ve had a couple of deer bedding down in my back yard. I usually see them out the window, down in the valley. But this is new. And isn’t it always the case that when you see something photo worthy , the camera is in the house 😩.
Haha, yes that quite often happens to me. But wow that’s amazing you have deer sleeping in your back yard. That’s very special. 🙂
Goodness me you have some stunning images. My favourite has to be the kingfisher, they usually just move to fast. I think my best wildlife memory sounds a bit mundane, but we have a pheasant that visits the garden daily for bird seed. So good to have saved him from the shoot!
Aw that’s nice. I always feel sorry for them, good to know your garden is a safe haven. 🙂
Saw my first kingfisher the other day. Not bad for a school run!
That’s great! I once saw one on a Sainsbury’s car park ( there was a brook nearby) 🙂
Wonderful, simply wonderful. I used to catch (with difficulty!) slow worms as a kid, I didn’t realise they could be found in the frozen north! 🙂
Yes they can be found up north too. They like basking under rocks and even metal sheets apparently…
An excellent selection! I wonder what you’ll see next year! 😁
I’m excited to find out! X
You were very lucky this years. I saw a turtle while swimming in Martinique it was a great moment.
That must have been wonderful.😁
You’ve captured some lovely moments there. It’s always nice at this time of year to look back on these as it’s so easy to forget how many there were !
Absolutely, I do like a good round up post when the year ends. X
It sounds like a fantastic year for you! Lovely photos too. I’ve never seen a hummingbird hawkmoth.
I hadn’t until this year. They are impossible to photograph though, they can’t keep still!x
What a wonderful summary – I enjoyed your pix and post.
Thank you Alison. X
Lovely photographic record of your discoveries. What’s next year’s project?
Oh well there are tons of wildlife i would love to see, and capture on camera if possible. Not yet managed to photograph a weasel, hare or tree creeper. Still not even seen a hawfinch, black cap or adder. They are all on my list for next year for sure. Xx
What a great range of wildlife you’ve captured, I love the peacock butterfly, the mandarin duck and the viper’s bugloss flowers, the deep blue colour is stunning 🙂
When I was cleaning up at the boss’s house a couple of weeks ago I looked out of the kitchen window and saw a herd of six deer in the field behind. They were grazing and slowly making their way down and across the field, eventually joined by a young stag. Of course that was one time when I didn’t have my camera with me! 😦
Thanks Eunice. 😁 The deer must have been a stunning sight. They always take my breath away and seeing a stag too, definitely a special moment. I’m a bit annoyed with myself at mo as we are away over Christmas and I forgot my camera! I still have my phone camera , but it doesn’t have a zoom so no good for wildlife pics. Oh well! Xx
It’s not just about the photos, but living life to the full, isn’t it? So glad you could find some time for yourself. I’d love to see badgers! 🙂 🙂 Hope you had a great Christmas and wishing you every happiness in 2020!
What a country year. I saw my first hummingbird moth this year too but have yet to see a live badger even though I am in the middle of countryside. Hope the new year brings lots more exciting sitings.
I saw the badger on an RSPB organized badger watch, otherwise I don’t think I would have seen one. They are very nocturnal. Hummingbird Hawkmoths are so unusual, they really do look like hummingbirds! X
I saw one and was transfixed then the same day I read a blog that someone I follow had written about them. I will be looking out for them again this year. My partner saw a badger the other night but I havent been so fortunate yet.
I bet you have quite a few badgers where you live….bet you will see one this year. 2019 was my first ever hummingbird hawkmoth sighting. I actually saw one in the UK and one when I visited Amsterdam, it was just hovering round a hanging basket on a canal bridge.😁
I was lucky that mine was just in the garden so hopefully will have a good chance to get some photos this year.
Wow, that’s amazing. Your very lucky. 🙂