Funny Animal Encounter

[Nanci]

So, Saturday, I'm riding 200k of the March 4th 400k route, (well, sort of, just what I can reach from my house, with a leg out to the route, then a cut across the middle to get on the leg back past my house) and it is a beautiful morning, cloudy, cool, mockingbirds singing, violets out for the first time, redbuds going crazy. I'm talking to all the farm animals I meet- they seem particularly alert and curious in the morning. I am thrilled when I say hi to some goat kids and one answers back! Pretty soon, I'm _way_ out in the country, on a road I have never ridden. What's that up ahead? Two buffalos, (yes, I am aware they are really American Bison...) in two separate pastures, with an open gate between them, closest to the road. A big one, and a little one. As I come closer, and say "Hi buffalos!" the little one starts running toward the fence. I say "Oh! Hi Baby! You're so cute! Are you happy to see a bike?" and he keeps running toward me, and right as I pass, he cuts through the gate and runs to the big one. I say "You're running to momma! What a little scaredy cat, not a big strong buffalo! Run to Mommy!" He gets to Mom, and she stops grazing and spins around and slowly canters off. I love seeing all the cool animals when I'm out riding. Even if it's just cows and stuff.

Nanci

[crazycanuck]

Nanci, I love bison, they're wonderful yet timid creatures. My aunt has a bison farm in Alberta & the bison are afraid of me but not afraid of the farm cat...

I agree with ya, i think animals make the bike ride. In Australia i've only seen Kangaroos(dead & alive), rabbits, lizards but no snakes as of yet in the bush...A kangaroo on a bike trail is just a bit funny...a reminder we're in thier territory.

When we lived in NZ, i loved seeing tui's. (They're a black coloured bird with a tuft of white hair on thier breast.)


I've never seen a mockingbird...do you happen to carry a camera while biking?
If i get a moment, i'll post a pic of a western bobtail lizard that we saw one day.

c

[Lise]

Oh.My.Goodness!

Violets and redbuds and billygoats and baby bison and mockingbirds! In February! What a vision. Thanks for writing about it, Nanci. I could feel the breeze on my face and smell the warm smell of animals and grass with dew still on it.

Kangaroos and tuis and bobtailed lizards! Thanks, CC, for reminding me of what a big, rich planet I live on.

It's 26 degrees at 8 AM up here in the heartland. (That's 3C--I saved the conversion web site!) They say it'll get up to 40 today. A friend is coming over to run at 10AM. Should be downright decent by then. We've turned the corner. It may yet snow, a couple of times even, but the end is in sight.

I will be back out on my bike once it's reliably in the mid 40s, and it's time to start test riding tri bikes! Nanci, you remind me of a 100K I did last summer in a semi-rural county north of Chicago. I saved the map of the route--I think I'll get back out there this spring and do at least part of it. It started out through the grounds of a monastery/retreat center as the sun was coming up--magical.

Thanks for lifting my spirits and starting my day out right, ladies! :) L.

[SalsaMTB]

wow, sounds nice! Where do you live? When I road ride the most exciting thing I see are little gophers. On my mtb i'll see the occasional deer. I'm envious of where you live with all the wildlife around.

[Nanci]

They don't have Mockingbirds up north, where I grew up and spent nearly 40 years of my life. When I moved to Florida, I quickly grew to appreciate these drab gray birds. You've heard the song "Listen to the mockingbird..." That is because what Mockingbirds do is sing. But not just any song; the Mockingbird knows up to 200 songs of other birds, amphibians, insects, and even mechanical noises. You can hear them singing before it is light out, and even after the sun has gone down. Sometimes a single male Mockingbird will sing almost all night, especially if there is a full moon! There is nothing better than having a Mockigbird pair in your yard. And if the singing weren't enough, there is the mysterious hunting behaviour. In the evening, the Mockingbird will alight in the grass. Then the bird will run forward quickly about five feet, then stop, with wings raised, pause, and repeat. This is now my very favorite bird, not counting pigeons.

Nanci

[snapdragen]

I like Mockingbirds too! We had a pair nest in an old walnut tree. Once the babies could use their wings, they'd jump out of the nest and drift to the ground. We "rescued" that pair of babies a number of times, until I got tired of climbing up to the nest. I called a Wildlife Rescue group, and the lady very kindly told me baby mocks leave the nest early, and will take refuge in the bushes and shrubs. I was concerned Mom and Dad mock couldn't find them - she assured me they knew exactly where their babies were.

All that, spring I'd be working in my garden, look up and see a baby mockingbird staring at me.

[Aint Doody]

Oh, how I miss mockingbirds! When they do that wing thing, it's called flashing. I like being flashed by a regal bird! I've heard them singing in the middle of the night--such lovely varied songs. And they really can sound exactly like a cat.