While a youngster living with my grandparents in a house with a big park behind it (Mina Road Park, St Werburgh's) , I saw an approx. 6 ins (15cms) long what I assume was a caterpillar. This was noticeable as it was climbing up the coal shed wall near the window and was a light fawn-ish colour with long hair. It was like an old "window mop" and to this day -some 50 years on- I have been unable to find anything that matches. It is possible that it belonged to a more localised species now long gone.
At secondary school (Greenway Boys Secondary Modern Comprehensive, Southmead) science was my big subject and I was one of two boys (the other lost interest) the science tutor asked to help as he analysed a rather mysterious substance found spotted over teachers cars. After a long investigation (of two weeks) we not only identified the substance but found the culprits: the substance was bee waste and the rural science teacher maintained bee hives. Nice warm car in a sunny spot. So it was not a pupil spraying any substance(s) on cars.
In Germany, along with four others I observed something with black, slightly shiny fur jump up from the edge of the forest into the conifers and listened as it made its way through trees. A primate in 1970s Germany? Oddly, my grandfather noted that he had seen a "sturm geist" (storm ghost/spirit) some time before sat on a tree stump near the same spot and told me that it had jumped up a fair distance into the trees and made off.
I did not challenge his identification although a primate seemed far more likely. Oddly, one of my cousins was violently opposed to our having seen anything but a "Kormoran" (cormorant) which was rather unlikely. He had not been present or seen what we had but red faced he angrily told us that was what we saw. We just said "Okay" and let it go!
One sunny day, as the family drove back into Dalborn I spotted on a hill a blackish animal moving from a field to forestry. I thought "Great -a badger!" But I asked the then ranger-cum-burgermeister „Gibt es hier Dachse?“ (you have badgers around here?) I was told bluntly "no". I described what I had seen but the lack of interest was amazing. If he had not seen it he did not believe it was there.
Even the night was hot on that stay and in the country that meant midges: miniscule little insects that buzzed by your ear and sounding like a Messerschmidt in full flight! I wanted a little fresh air and the open window beckoned. looked out of the window some 3 feet (90cms) above the ground and heard a noise so naturally assumed it must be a rat of which there were a few around the farm. I looked down and looking up at me was what I could only describe as "a black fox with white face markings".
My camera was on the bedside table so I slowly reached for it but grabbed it as it was about to fall and then -the black fox was gone. The next day I told the family. Big laugh and "Oh Herr Professor was dreaming!" So I turned to other locals including the ranger. I was a big joke after asking around about this animal. I did wonder whether I would have gotten a better reception if I had said I'd seen Bigfoot!
Back home in England I went straight to my books and I found out that I had seen a raccoon dog -the first reported in that part of Germany. Next year, armed with this information I turned to people who had doubted me in the village and the response was "Yes. We know" -apparently someone had checked after I left for home and everyone now knew about the "Marderhund". No apologies for having thought I was dreaming the year before, though!
An escaped primate (or storm spirit!) and a raccoon dog were far from the only things I observed on my stays in Germany and elsewhere. The thing is to always observe and record what you can and always research what you saw because books are far better sources of knowledge than the internet. My German family nick-named me "Herr Professor" because if I was not reading I was constantly observing so I'll take that one!
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