i know there are random dragons but i have yet to see any "random" ones. every time i see a dragon it is by a dragon symbol on the map indicating a word wall. what the F. although im getting pretty awesome at fighting them. 2 blood dragons, 2 frost dragons, and a fire dragon down

I'm finding it tough to tell you exactly where all of the RANDOM dragon encounters are

They are exactly that. Just wait until your doing something fairly important and a random dragon pops up. I swear, dragons have sneak.

@hexxus, i actually laughed at that
@magicman, i'll need to start going at the giants then, but i am getting some new shouts by only finding them my way

I've had about 8 random spawns so far and 3 quest-related "Bounty" type dragon encounters.

Have you begun the main quest at all?

I won't go specific just to avoid spoiling it, but I believe one of the very very beginning quests you complete that starts the random dragons. (I -think-, I'm not for sure. Basing this from my experience so far.)

I saw one today near the dwenmer ruin south of winterhold, there was no dragon symbol and he wasn't there the first time I passed it, so it must of been a random one, it was pretty cool.

thanks for the tip but yeah i have started the main quest, probably the 3rd quest in

Went to Riften last night for the first time. When the guard tried to tax me for enter the city a dragon showed up. I died. Loaded save and the same thing happened again except I didn't die the second time and it was a different kind of dragon.