What wildlife do you see on your rides? [Archive] - Page 2

jobob

01-27-2009, 02:06 PM

melissam, dachsund, aka_kim & I saw a bald eagle and a bobcat a couple of weekends ago on Calaveras Road in Sunol (east side of the San Franscico Bay area).

We watched the eagle soar from it's nest and fly over the Calaveras reservior, and then I spotted what looked to me like a very large housecat crossing the field nearby. Didn't occur to me at first that it was a bobcat. D'oh. :o

7rider

01-27-2009, 04:05 PM

Back in December, DH and I went out for a ride with a couple of friends from the LBS rides. We stopped at the top of a hill to re-group and chit-chat, and - as usual - I start scanning the sky to see what was flying. I saw this bird coming toward us. We often see turkey vultures in the area....and I was thinking...Boy...that is one BIG vulture! :eek: Now, vultures are big birds, but this thing was markedly bigger - and it soared differently. As it got closer, I could see the white head and tail of a mature bald eagle. It was the first time I had ever seen one in Howard County (I've seen them elsewhere - including while paddling the Potomac). Very neat. :cool:

OakLeaf

01-30-2009, 03:31 AM

There's an old school grounds on our regular route with a bald eagle nest in one of the tall pines, just about 50 feet from the road (and 50 feet up!). We haven't seen the eaglet(s) yet - we don't always stop long enough to look for them - but mom and/or dad stay close to the nest. Those are big birds.

PamNY

05-31-2009, 07:48 PM

Reviving an old thread so I'll have an excuse to post my photo of a raccoon in Central Park. He or she was bold, retreating when a crowd gathered but returning quickly when the coast was clear.

A Google search revealed that raccoons are quite common in Central Park, but I'd never seen one.

Pam

salsabike

05-31-2009, 07:59 PM

I know I'm not supposed to like raccoons, really, but I do.

And not on a ride, but on a run in Annapolis last weekend, I saw a fox for the first time in nature! Tried to take a cell phone pic but it was much faster than I.

Looks like a NICE day in Central Park.

Tuckervill

06-01-2009, 04:07 AM

You can see to the right there why that coon was taking a chance with you.

Raccoons are quite bold. I've tried to get them away from my camp food many a night, without getting close to them. They won't budge if you're not standing right over them. Yelling, flashlights, rocks--nothing works. I'm not going to approach a coon because they carry rabies. Of course, I make sure all my food is locked up tight so they never get anything. But they have to investigate! Their little muddy footprints are cute!

My in-laws used to have a little red fox that lived nearby and it would treat us to a view through the dining room window almost every day. As soon as it heard any sound, though, it would zoom out of there back into the woods.

Karen

Zen

06-01-2009, 12:07 PM

I saw a wild turkey on my drive into town this morning :)

ridenread

06-01-2009, 12:39 PM

As I was riding yesterday I saw what looked like a large cat in the distance just sitting on the side of the road watching me. (I don't wear my prescription glasses when I ride)

Once I got up to it realized it was a large raccoon. It was just sitting there on the side of the road and got up on his two hind legs as I approached. I don't know if raccoons like to chase but I got up on my pedals and rode off as fast as I could.

Aren't raccoons nocturnal creatures? They are pretty cute though

solobiker

06-01-2009, 02:55 PM

Saw a snake, actually 2 while mtn biking.

OakLeaf

06-01-2009, 03:21 PM

Aren't raccoons nocturnal creatures?

I looked that up a couple of years ago because I was seeing them during the daytime and worried that they were rabid. Turns out it's pretty normal this time of year - the raccoons you see during daylight hours are new mothers who need more food than they can collect at night, and need to return to the nest often rather than being out all night foraging.

I saw a couple on my ride on Friday, too.

JH-NV

06-01-2009, 05:57 PM

Today while riding the river path, my daughter and I came upon "a bunch" of feral cats! How odd. Close by is a local caterer. It was just so strange. The more we looked in the bushes on the side of the river, the more cats we saw. I will assume the caterer "drops scraps." Nice kitty, kitty......

crazycanuck

06-02-2009, 12:33 AM

All I ever see are roos. Just me n da roos in da singletrack hood :rolleyes:

OakLeaf

06-02-2009, 03:45 PM

We got her well clear of the road, and no one got his hand bitten off.

http://www.lickingcountybicycleclub.com/images/groupPics/Misc/TurtleRescue01.jpg

Aggie_Ama

06-03-2009, 11:08 AM

My husband's college roommate is a vet. We had dinner last week and he was telling us if you see any nocturnal animal in the day time it is likely sick or rabid but mothers needing to be doing things makes sense Oakleaf. Coons are cute but I assume they are all rabid. Of course the best thing is to stay away from wild animals anyway, the one in central park is likely used to foraging for trash and doesn't the norm because he is a park dweller. I only see dead coons or armadillos in the daytime here. I did see I real live armadillo at dusk, it was so cool!

And I see a fox from time to time stalking the neighbors chickens on my drive home. They have the same number of chickens so I guess the fox isn't very good in his hunt?

Monday night I saw a squirrell mountain biking, scared me as much as that little guy. Our ride leader saw a snake, glad I missed that!

Biciclista

06-03-2009, 11:26 AM

wonderful photos gals!

OakLeaf

06-03-2009, 11:40 AM

the one in central park is likely used to foraging for trash and doesn't the norm because he is a park dweller.

Just a normal New Yorker, being out at noon is the raccoon equivalent of "up all night." ;)

Are armadillos nocturnal? We see them all the time during daylight hours at Canaveral Seashore. :confused:

Aggie_Ama

06-03-2009, 11:44 AM

I thought armadillos were nocturnal but come to think of it someone in our local club saw one riding in daylight. Even being a native Texan I have only seen one in the wild that wasn't road kill! :eek:

Biciclista

06-03-2009, 12:24 PM

what was the armadillo riding?

Aggie_Ama

06-04-2009, 04:53 AM

Not sure, probably a beach cruiser because Armadillos are pretty slow movers. :p

OakLeaf

06-04-2009, 05:07 AM

Ever see an armadillo close up? They're hairy, or I guess you'd say bristly, like pigs. Strange animals.

ccnyc

06-04-2009, 05:56 AM

Saw these turkey vultures (eight of them!) around a dead deer on my ride in Allamuchy, NJ a few weeks ago. I also saw two live deer (YAY!) bounding across the road, and two snakes.

shootingstar

06-06-2009, 04:44 PM

Unfortunately I didn't have a camera immediately on hand and this was not observed while cycling:

Just saw an hr. ago, while at home, a bald-headed eagle wheeling around outside our window...probably over 200+ft. away from our window.

We live in downtown Vancouver...many building stories high..several times ten-fold. So to see this in the heart of the city, not totally rare. There is the odd eagle's nest here and there amongst the city hustle and bustle somewhere. But not typical either.

OakLeaf

06-06-2009, 05:35 PM

We saw a red fox today. First live one I've seen in more than a year. Only two of our group made it over the crest of the hill in time to see the fox, before it darted into the woods.

cylegoddess

06-13-2009, 02:32 AM

I was tootling along several months ago, alongside a nature reserve and a big red roo bounded up besides me( scaring the living crap out of me mind you!) and was jumping along the creek which it didn't want to cross and up the slight hill on other side, is road and suburbs) for about 500 metres. That was nice.
I see lots of magpies, which is nice -until breeding season and they swoop to try to peck your eyes out!
Occasional cockies flying overhead( cockatoos) and the occasional scare from big birds bombing past my face( almost all birds in Oz are HUGE).
Oh and since I am on the rural edge, cows.Lots of cows.

Aggie_Ama

06-13-2009, 05:34 AM

Not on a ride but I was driving a favorite route to verify the work they finally did on the two year old flood damaged bridge and saw a PEACOCK. Beautiful, big and bright. I hope to see him again when riding, I guess he was an escapee from a local ranch around there?

OakLeaf

06-18-2009, 04:02 AM

First antlers of the season, a healthy looking six-point buck in velvet.

(For those who don't live in white-tailed deer country, only the males have antlers, and they shed them each year after the rutting season. When their antlers first grow out, they're covered in fuzzy "velvet" that eventually rubs off.)

Then we saw some birds that I have absolutely no idea what they were. They appeared to be some type of exotic, which explains why they're not in my bird books, and they were running around loose so they're apparently laying fowl. Wish I knew what they were.

Aggie_Ama

06-18-2009, 04:39 AM

I didn't have the camera but the scissortails are really out in high number this year. Those are some cool birds! I have a whole mess of birds that have moved into my finches nest since they have left. I have to figure out what they are.

beccaB

06-18-2009, 07:42 AM

I saw a ruffed grouse the other day. Hope someone doesn't shoot it. People do that here.

PamNY

06-22-2009, 08:46 PM

The red tailed hawk family I've been watching had a tragedy. One of the babies was killed when he tried to fly over a busy street and fell into traffic. He was found with a rat in his talons (possibly his first kill).

The other two babies are thriving, and enjoyed a food fight this morning. A photographer documented the event here:

http://thebethlenz.blogspot.com/2009/06/food-fight.html

Pam

7rider

06-23-2009, 06:42 AM

I - and two cars - had to yield to a large family (or possibly two families) of Canada geese crossing the street this morning. There were at least a dozen...the youngsters definitely had the adult coloring, but were noticably smaller. The largest one - possibly the adult male - stayed in the lane longest and gave me the stink eye as I rode past, trying to shoo it off the road.

Aggie_Ama

07-19-2009, 06:41 PM

The official state mammal! The was actually at our campsite post mountain bike ride, but close enough.

limewave

07-20-2009, 04:50 AM

So, I didn't find this on a ride, but I didn't know where to post this so it's going here. This was scrounging in our yard yesterday morning. It looked very wild. It was about the size of a large lab, except it was very lean and muscular. Long white face. Ringed tail and large black paws.

Labradoodle experiment gone wrong???? Definitely not a red fox (I've had a lot of people say that). It was about twice the size of a fox and, as I mentioned earlier, it has a ringed tail.

lo123

07-20-2009, 08:50 AM

There's a ZONKEY on one of my weekly routes. A zonkey is a Zebra/Donkey hybrid. He's very cute.

I just saw the guy this week, though he's been there for years apparently.
I need to remember to take a camera on my next ride.

Aggie_Ama

07-20-2009, 01:54 PM

:D Please take a picture of the ZONKEY!

Biciclista

07-20-2009, 02:24 PM

Kris

07-21-2009, 12:43 PM

DH says maybe a coyote with a skin disease? Maybe mange. Weird looking creature, for sure.

Biciclista

07-21-2009, 01:05 PM

it's an extinct marsupial, the tasmanian wolf

http://www.life.umd.edu/classroom/bsci338m/Image_Archives/Marsupialia/TasmanianWolf.jpg

:cool::cool::cool::D

lo123

07-22-2009, 08:15 AM

:D Please take a picture of the ZONKEY!

I plan on it. Going to try on Thursday. Don't want to get dropped from the group ride though :D

PamNY

07-22-2009, 02:31 PM

I want to see the zonkey, too.

I'm still watching the lone surviving baby hawk grow up. On Monday he killed a squirrel and didn't seem to know what to do with it. I don't think he can fly with something that big in his talons.

My current favorite series of hawk photos:

http://palemale.com/june172009.html

7rider

07-24-2009, 05:24 AM

it's an extinct marsupial, the tasmanian wolf

I was going to vote for South American coati (http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/eva_hejda/coatihellbrunn.jpg/view.html) (okay...maybe not :cool:).

But, whatever...it doesn't look like a healthy beasty. I'd give it wide berth. Have you spoken to your local animal control or wildlife control group?

There used to be a zonkey up where I lived years ago. Saw it a bunch of times - never photographed it. Then, it disappeared and I was bummed... :(

lo123

07-28-2009, 06:57 AM

I want to see the zonkey, too.

Of course now that I'm determined to get a pic of the thing, it hasn't been visible from the road!

Tri Girl

07-29-2009, 04:46 PM

saw a buffalo today (or bison, if you prefer) and some longhorn steer.
Got about 5 feet from the buffalo (creeeepy), and the steer too (not as creeeeepy).

Aggie_Ama

07-30-2009, 03:46 AM

Baby buffalo may be the cutest thing ever. I saw some in the fields of the LBJ ranch about a month ago.

I am an Aggie but I dream of one day raising some Longhorn cattle. They are impressive animals!

crazycanuck

07-30-2009, 04:12 AM

Awwww..a buffalo/bison! I'm a fan :cool:

They're beautiful creatures :)

Tri Girl

07-30-2009, 06:41 AM

There were about 4 babies in the herd I saw, and yes, they are the most adorable creatures. Then again, all baby animals are adorable (bears, buffalo, tigers, lions) but they lose their cuteness when they grow up and can kill you. Did you know buffalo have humps to counterbalance their enormous heads and that they can run up to 40 mph? Neither did I. :)

Aggie_Ama

07-30-2009, 11:17 AM

I actually think the adults are kinda cute in a "they're so ugly they;re cute" way.

crazycanuck

07-30-2009, 09:12 PM

My auntie n uncle raise buffalo (in Alberta) & like most farms have feral cats. Whilst visiting them, they told us about how frightened the bison were of the cats! Hard to imagine but true!!!

Jen72

08-01-2009, 06:14 PM

I was so excited. I recently just saw a Spotted Owl sitting in a low branch just over my head during a late morning ride. I tried to take pictures with my cell phone but it just couldn't get a good pic due to the bright lighting.

sundial

08-03-2009, 04:31 PM

I saw a fox peeking from a culvert.

I also saw a dead copperhead.

spazzdog

08-04-2009, 10:22 AM

I live in the city... in a not so great area. The wildlife I see is highly unusual and unique to areas like mine.

In the early morning - "Wild-haired, hot-pansed street walker" as they return to their dens

In the evening - "gaggles of baggy-jeans heat packing street pharmaceutical dealers"

Ride fast, don't stare.

KathiCville

08-04-2009, 01:41 PM

Spotted this gal/guy in a pasture while I was riding in the country on Saturday. Not quite wildlife, I guess, but cute as can be. Comes equipped with an ear-splitting scream, yowza! He posed for several photos, turning his head this way and that, then trotted off (quite elegantly, I might add!)

limewave

08-06-2009, 10:04 AM

I can't remember if I posted this or not . . .

But a few years ago I was mountain biking on the NCT (http://www.northcountrytrail.org/) with DH. He rides a lot faster than I do, so we usually ride out 60-90 minutes and then turn around so that we're back at the same time.

I had turned on the trail and was first on the way back. I came around this corner and there, sitting on a low branch right on the trail was a Snowy Owl! Ghost white.

I stopped about 5 feet from it and we just stared at each other. I felt like I was in a Harry Potter book. It was amazing. He flew off after a moment. I will never forget it.

owlice

08-11-2009, 06:01 AM

An owl!!! ~~ sigh ~~ Very cool, limewave!

One of my main reasons (or excuses) for biking is seeing things; I'm really slow on a bike, and it must be because I'm always scanning the skies, woods, streams, swamps and meadows looking for wildlife, right? ;) (That's my story, anyway, and I'm sticking to it!)

I see deer often; on Saturday, I was getting to my turnaround point and passed a doe; a couple of minutes later, I passed her on my return trip, but this time, she was nursing her twins. No camera with me, darn it!

The week before, I'd seen a buck in velvet in the same area. That little area, tucked in behind a neighbor and close to a major road, is also good for hearing/seeing wood thrushes (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/wood_thrush/id) and various woodpeckers, and I've even heard a veery (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/veery/id) way off in the distance there.

Some of my recent rides have been after work in downtown DC; I've been seeing a Great Blue Heron and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-crowned_Night-Heron/id) in the pond at Constitution Gardens, near the Vietnam War Memorial.

Most of my rides are on trails in flood plains. A few years ago, I was riding along the Anacostia River in Maryland and noticed that the trail had many small flattened (dried-out) frogs on it. Ick!

A couple/three weeks ago when I was riding that trail, I came across a small snapping turtle; he was covered in mud and looked like a leaf on the trail. I'm glad I didn't run over him! I moved him off the trail into the grass. I see Red-eared Sliders a lot; snapping turtles, not so often. And sometimes I see these skinks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumeces_fasciatus), which are very cute and exceedingly fast, so glimpses of them are fleeting!

channlluv

08-11-2009, 06:20 AM

I've been seeing white egrets from the trail through the swamp near my mom's house. I'll take the camera with me when DD and I go later today, and see if we can get a photo. There are alligators out there, too, although I don't have a confirmed sighting. I did *think* I saw one the other day, but it could have been a log, but when I turned around to go look, I couldn't find it. I think I would have heard it splash away, but maybe it just submerged.

KathiCville

08-13-2009, 08:22 AM

I forgot to mention that on the same ride where I spotted the llama (pic above), I also saw a big bald eagle on the wing. He was flying down the valley that I was riding. Absolutely beautiful in flight! In the past I'd only seen bald eagles in enclosures or nesting. I wish I'd had been able to stop and get out my camera, but he was past me before I could react!

redrhodie

08-22-2009, 11:44 AM

Trekhawk

08-22-2009, 04:03 PM

I've been meaning to bring my camera for months, and every time I get to the camels, I remember. Well, here they are. Wooly green camels! I probably rode by them a few hundred times before I noticed them! They are topiaries, on tobacco heiress Doris Duke's estate "Rough Point".

She had these guys made after her live camels passed away. They are very accurate, and really beautiful.

WOW!
They are very impressive topiaries.
Thanks for sharing:)

Just noticed you live in Newport. I found Newport a fascinating place when we visited there on holidays. Lucky you!

kiwi girl

08-23-2009, 03:32 AM

To quote the iconic Jordan Luke

" pukeko skirt the swampsides'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pukeko

otherwise only roadkill possums

crazycanuck

08-26-2009, 01:25 AM

A hint of summer showed itself today..a cool bobtail lizard was in the middle of the bike path :)

I think spring might be around the corner. Ok, it better be..i'm tired of doing intervals etc in pouring rain!!! AGHGHGHG..

GulfCoastAmy

08-26-2009, 06:38 AM

I had a deer run right out in front of me early yesterday morning. It scared the crap out of me! It's good thing I'm slow, because I don't think I would have had time to stop otherwise. Oddly enough, I didn't even know there were deer in south Alabama. Sounds strange, but I've lived here 5 years and never seen one (not even dead on the side of the road). Now I know - they're here! :o

katluvr

08-26-2009, 07:06 AM

Red Roadie...
I thought they were REAL camels from your picture and they were just in teh shadows!

Road this past Sunday in the rolling hills area here in Florida and saw a lot of hawks. Was a nice change form water fowl I normally see. (I love all kinds of birds!)

owlice

08-29-2009, 06:13 PM

Today, a fawn, a Great Egret, a Pileated Woodpecker, and a little bitty brown rabbit who was very very cute!

7rider

09-24-2009, 04:39 AM

I saw two deer today in a field near the golf course. And in the parking lot across from the field was a Park Police car. I think he was watching the deer, and not all the cars flying by me - speeding and coming too close! :mad:

azfiddle

09-24-2009, 05:03 AM

I live in Tucson, Arizona, in the Sonoran Desert. About a mile from my house is a bridge over the Pantano River (usually dry) which houses a colony of about 20,000 Mexican Free-tailed Bats. If I time the end of a ride to cross the bridge around sunset, I can watch the bats spiraling into the sky as they leave to forage. It's impressive (though the bridge is a bit stinky).

The riverbed is a wildlife corridor out to the less urban parts of the city and one evening I saw a Bobcat standing at the edge of the bridge, looking onto 6 lanes of traffic.

A popular ride in Tucson is at Saguaro National Park. Last week, I saw a Desert Tortoise and yesterday I spotted a tarantula, Desert Spiny Lizard, an unfortunately flat snake that I didn't stop to ID, and common desert birds, like Curve-billed Thrashers, Gila Woodpeckers, Cactus Wrens and Canyon Towhees.

Sharon

crazycanuck

09-27-2009, 12:00 AM

:eek: :o It's quite close to summer & the sun's been out for the past few days...We hit the dirt this morning & I just about had a freak attack half way through our ride. I swore I hear something hiss but i think it was just a grass tree :o EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE..was all i could think of.

Then, a while later Ian stopped me on the trail & asked " Are you afraid of bees....you just passed a tree with a LARGE hive and quite a few bees buzzing round.." :eek: I kinda moved me behind RATHER quickly & attempted to focus on the trail again..

Lots of little bobtails out today too :) They're so cute!

crazycanuck

10-03-2009, 11:15 PM

I saw a Tiger Snake today :eek:. Let's just say i didn't stop long enough to see if it was alive!

azfiddle

10-08-2009, 11:08 AM

I saw a Ring-Tail today by the side of the road today. Unfortunately, it had encountered a car first :(

I did see live Cactus Wrens, Gila Woodpeckers, Common Ravens, a Turkey Vulture, Black-throated Sparrows and Curve-billed Thrashers along the way. It's really a pleasure to ride through the Sonoran Desert at this time of year.

Shaula

10-09-2009, 04:47 AM

One day I saw a mama raccoon and 3 of her babies. I saw a bunch of baby pigs (or hogs) rooting around. Stopped to look at them and heard the Mama grunt. Needless to say, I was pedalling pretty fast to get away from that! Had a bear run across the road in front of me. Always deer; saw a coyote the other day that met a car first:(. Almost put my foot down on a cottonmouth snake as I was pedalling.:eek: I live by the Okefenokee Swamp so the wildlife is abundant!

shootingstar

10-12-2009, 11:50 AM

A near iconic scene: a live bald-headed eagle on top of a totem pole today!
The totem was high enough that with my nearly inadequate zoom on digital pocket camera, my neck ached from bending it for my head backward to take the photo with my shaking hands. Shaking, because from effort of trying to take a shoot with my head bent backward and upward..

azfiddle

11-05-2009, 04:02 AM

Yesterday just before dusk at Saguaro National Park we rode past a rattlesnake stretched out on the warm pavement. Since it was getting dark, we didn't stop to see which species, but most likely it was a Western Diamondback. I've done this ride 4 or 5 times during late afternoon and evening and expect to see them, but this was the first time.

MommyBird

11-05-2009, 04:57 AM

Nothing exotic...
In 15 miles on Tuesday, I saw; deer, squirrel, fox and bunny.
The deer running across the road freaked me out and I spent the rest of my ride scanning the forest for more. We were out around 5pm, which is when the deer start moving about. Slowed me down quite a bit.

On Saturday a buck with a rack ran across the road. We were not out during high-deer movement time so it didn't affect my riding. I was in awe of the big rack and that it was an unusual time of day to sight a deer.

The large deer population creates dangerous driving conditions in this part of GA.

zia

11-09-2009, 04:09 PM

Saw a squirrel today. Right before it ran under my front wheel. :eek:

MommyBird

11-09-2009, 04:49 PM

Shepard Smith.
I spent an hour and 5 on the elliptical this evening.

crazycanuck

11-16-2009, 10:21 PM

Oooo *thud*...:eek:

A rather LIVE long black snake accross the bike path...just inches away from my leg...I kinda sped up & didn't look back... I think it lifted its head as I ventured past :eek:

Spiders I can handle..snakes on the other hand...:eek: I'll just move fast...

PamNY

11-18-2009, 08:47 PM

I was biking in Central Park yesterday when I got a text that a Long Eared Owl was around. I was lucky enough to watch this majestic bird for a couple of hours until he flew at dusk. I also discovered that I can bike really, really, really fast after dark in Central Park.

Here are photographs of the owl from a really superb photographer (scroll down a bit for the owl):

http://palemale.com/november172009.html

Pam

salsabike

11-18-2009, 09:55 PM

twin

11-21-2009, 11:47 AM

Coyote and it looked ready for winter.

solobiker

11-22-2009, 05:36 PM

solobiker

11-22-2009, 05:39 PM

Found these guys on our trip to Moab.

http://i469.photobucket.com/albums/rr57/solobiker27/DSCN5451.jpg

crazycanuck

01-03-2010, 11:39 PM

I did dirt time very very early Sun am & had two roos that couldn't quite figure out what direction they wanted to go on the trail...:rolleyes: All I could think was " Make up your mind you silly creature...fast...!!!" I was quite close to both & slowed down immediately in order for them to hop off in whatever direction they wanted...

OakLeaf

01-04-2010, 04:25 AM

We encountered a pair of sandhill cranes in the same area we often see them - I guess they nest there - but this time they were in the bike lane and not a bit spooked by our 23 mph paceline. We had to get out of their way as they stood their ground.

MommyBird

03-08-2010, 09:12 AM

Feral Pigs a Crooked River State Park in St. Mary's, GA.
http://www.southeasternphotography.com/Nature/Feral-Hogs/6849398_qZq5K#437978684_TokpU
We didn't take this photo but this is what they looked like.

We were pedaling out of the campground for a ride on the submarine base when we saw a young couple with some big, black dogs on the side of the road. When we got closer we saw that they were not dogs but pigs! And there were a bunch of them on both sides of the road! Luckily none decided to cross in front of us. They were very shiny and attractive for pigs.

I also saw an armadillo on the base golf course during the ride. The first "live" armadillo I have seen on a ride or run. They make the most disgusting road kill.

We were adjacent to a bird sanctuary for a portion of the ride and saw a huge variety.

There was also a baby deer making the meet and greet rounds at the campground but we only saw it while in the truck or walking Cooper.

PamNY

03-08-2010, 09:45 AM

The pig photographs are really interesting. Armadillos in Georgia? Seeing the baby deer must be wonderful, though I do have mixed feelings about them being so used to humans. In Shenandoah you see them hoping to be fed and it makes me so sad.

Thanks for posting the pigs!

MommyBird

03-08-2010, 01:10 PM

Armadillos in Georgia?

We are crawling with them.
Before moving here in 1985 I thought the only state with armadillos was Texas.

We had one in the brush beside our camp site making a huge racket on Saturday night. Cooper, our JRT, was all upset about it.

We have alligators in Georgia too. I thought they were only to be found in Florida prior to moving South and East. I have seen them while riding a bike as well. Just not since I discovered this forum.

I had a lot to learn when I relocated to the East Coast. Like you have to attach "State" on the tail end of Washington when you tell people where you are from or they think you grew up in Washington, DC.

PamNY

04-29-2010, 08:06 PM

We have several red tail hawk hatches in Manhattan -- two are within my biking range. These photos are of the nest in Riverside Park, which I've watched for a year now. Riverside Mom and Dad are so smart -- we silly humans were worried about her nest location, but it survived two Nor'easters. Tonight the photographer of the below photos was kind enough to let me look at babies through his camera.

http://urbanhawks.blogs.com/urban_hawks/riverside_drive_redtailed_hawks/

The hawk nest on the building in the photos below belongs to Palemale and Lola -- their nest was famously destroyed by building management in 2005. After protests, a nest cradle was put up for them to rebuild, but their eggs have never hatched since humans interfered. We think Riverside Mom is Palemale's daughter, so at least he has grandchildren this year!

http://palemale.com/april272010.html

azfiddle

04-30-2010, 06:07 AM

Pam, I see Red-tails often in Tucson. I also see a lot of Cooper's Hawks, as well as Curve-billed Thrashers, Cactus Wrens, Gila Woodpeckers and the ubiquitous Mourning Doves- plus White-winged Doves now that spring is back... Of course, I see more when I am moving more slowly up the hills than when I'm cruising on flats or flying down hills.

MomOnBike

04-30-2010, 08:05 AM

We have at least one red-tailed hawk that lives and hunts along my local urban rail-trail. I saw him get a rabbit once.

The best, however, was a week or so ago when DH & I were riding along the same trail and a wild turkey crossed in front of us. I was thrilled. Come to find out, turkeys have been moving back in to our town. It makes sense, once I think about it. The trail corridor is actually pretty good habitat for wild things, with a lack of predators/hunters, the hawks excepted. I'm looking forward to more turkey sightings.

PamNY

05-10-2010, 03:47 PM

Azfiddle, what a wonderful variety you get to see! We had a Cooper's hawk wintering over in Central Park which was quite a thrill. I even dreamed about Cooper's hawks.

MomOnBike, I would love to see a redtail get a rabbit. I could watch them hunt for hours (in fact, I do).

Three of our redtail babies died in a windstorm Saturday. The nest just gave way (gusts were up to 55 mph). It was so sad -- they were just weeks away from fledging. The parents started rebuilding the nest and copulating immediately, but the experts tell me they are unlikely to produce more eggs.

Aggie_Ama

05-13-2010, 05:15 PM

A couple weeks ago I saw a cottontail mountain biking, he was so cute and terrified of me coming! I also saw the funkiest beetle last weekend, it was sparkly and green. Road riding a few weeks back a saw a road runner, they are probably my favorite bird. I love that they eat rattlesnakes and always seem to be on a mission. Plus they are just darn cool looking. :cool:

channlluv

05-13-2010, 06:16 PM

Last night I did 16 miles around Lake Miramar and I saw a red tail hawk hunting (it was nearing dusk) and I hoped it wouldn't see the bunny I had just passed hopping quickly across the road. I also heard coyotes howling and yipping at each other up in the hills above the bike path. Pretty neat. This was the same hillside where I heard then saw that golden eagle last year.

Roxy

azfiddle

05-13-2010, 09:09 PM

I saw an Osprey a few days apart at an urban park with a lake. It was gone today...

Tuckervill

05-14-2010, 01:36 PM

I was riding on a college campus last week, my son ahead of me on his bike. Deserted road. There comes a nutria up out of the grass, crossing the pavement. Sees my son coming towards him and stops dead in his tracks, and then hunkers down in the street like a cat about to strike. I stopped to watch it, because I didn't want to run him over or get bit if he decided to go for it. A pickup comes along and it takes off running into the grass and back to the creek. It looked like a giant squirrel, running low to the ground. They seem to have a lot of loose skin, like a bloodhound, and it wiggles when they run, and their coat is kind of silky looking. Anyway, it was cool!

eta: A picture (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://louisianahuntingtoday.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/nutria-004.jpg&imgrefurl=http://louisianahuntingtoday.com/blog/%3Fp%3D10&usg=__S84I7usL8bwDl7HWp_Q5gJMPx7E=&h=1125&w=748&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=PNXQgm6yHQqe7M:&tbnh=150&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnutria%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1) of one.

Karen

sundial

05-15-2010, 06:12 AM

I saw a wild mink on one ride. :)

Catrin

05-15-2010, 04:52 PM

I saw a beautiful doe this morning, she was watching me cycle down the road toward her - she was at the forest edge at a T-intersection, as I slowed down to move she turned and disappeared into the trees. It was good to see her!

MomOnBike

05-17-2010, 09:31 AM

The other evening, DH suggested a bike picnic. OK, off we go. There is an urban park that has a nice pavilion surrounded by a wooded area. About halfway through the picnic, I looked up and saw 3 white-tailed deer. They crossed the small park and disappeared into some shrubs on the other side.

Not a bad sighting for a decidedly in-town setting.

tulip

05-17-2010, 12:24 PM

Saturday:
2 bald eagles flying low, just caught some snakes
a bunch of stingrays (I had stopped on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and there they were-a whole lot of them cavorting in the shallows)
the usual osprey and great blue herons

Catrin

05-22-2010, 04:17 PM

I saw another doe today on my ride - these past 4 rides in a row I have seen at least one deer on my route - and they have been different routes! Hopefully they will continue to show themselves without running across the road in front of me :eek:

azfiddle

05-22-2010, 08:43 PM

Saw several really big Desert Spiny Lizards this morning.

OakLeaf

05-23-2010, 11:57 AM

On Thursday, a young buck, just getting this year's antlers.

Today, a herd of prancing horses ;) - aka some Ferrari club out for a Sunday ride. That was a treat to hear and see.

Catrin

05-23-2010, 06:26 PM

Deer sightings continue :)

withm

05-23-2010, 07:56 PM

In the last couple of weeks I've encountered a some more unusual critters. I don't count egrets, herons, eagles, osprey, rabbits, or even deer any more - they are pretty common around here.

A flock of turkey hens (probably 20+)
Red fox
Trumpet Swans in a lagoon where I have never seen them before. Though there is a resident pair at a pond a few miles away. And haven't seen them there again since.

My barn owl is back again. He comes to hang out in the woods behind my house for a couple weeks at a time. I have never been able to find him - it's usually dark when he makes his presence known. He sounds like this:
http://enature.com/fieldguides/view_default.asp?sortBy=has+audio&viewType=list&curFamilyID=203

Essentially he just screeches every 10-20 seconds for hours in the evening - from around 7-10pm. Yikes!

And today I took a detour through a heavily wooded fresh water marsh area, had to walk some because the dirt track was sandy in places and was not designed for 700x23 tires. Saw an indigo bunting, a totally iridescent and beautiful bird. :)

salsabike

05-23-2010, 11:45 PM

I love this thread.

PamNY

05-24-2010, 11:06 AM

I love this thread too, and it makes me want to bike everywhere!

Saturday I saw a huge flock of cedar waxwings. It seemed as if there were thousands of them, swooping down, feasting for a bit and taking off again. I've seen them in groups, but never that many. I also saw an egret and turkey vulture.

On a sad note, we lost another baby hawk. His body was still in the nest yesterday. The one remaining baby seemed to be looking at him with great curiosity.

marni

05-25-2010, 04:00 PM

Usually all I see is road pizza possums, skunks, squirrels, cats and dogs with an occasional and rare live specimen showing up. I was riding around a lake which is actually a cooling pond for a power station and is quite out in the country and I saw a wild hog disappearing into the pines- a short while later I spotted two scissor tail fly catchers which always delights me because they look so much like something invented by Dr. Seus.

marni

Owlie

05-26-2010, 03:22 PM

Songbirds of varying stripes, mostly. A couple of house finches, a goldfinch, cardinals, the usual sparrows and mourning doves on today's ride. Also a bright blue bird whose identity I don't know. Crows, red-tailed hawks, and turkey vultures. Gray squirrels, the occasional chipmunk, white-tailed deer (saw two on Sunday's ride), and cats. I also nearly brained myself on a female cardinal over the weekend!

DebW

05-26-2010, 06:16 PM

A fox crossed the road in front of me on Monday while biking down 2A in Lexington.

makbike

05-26-2010, 07:13 PM

Yesterday was turtle day. I stopped twice along the ride to move a turtle off the road. The first one was fairly large, the size of a dessert plate. It was sitting on the yellow center line. I moved it across the road and wished it good luck. The second one was rather cute. It was a baby and fit nicely in the palm of my hand. It would have taken it an eon to cross the road. I gave it a helping hand and moved it across the road. Again, I wished it good luck. It has a lot of growing to do. I hope it survives.

Today was rabbit day. The Eastern Cottontails, big and small, were out in force. I don't recall a ride where I encountered so many rabbits.

salsabike

05-26-2010, 07:53 PM

Pam, where do you see waxwings in NY?? I love them.

Love raptors too. We have lots of bald eagles around here--I mean, on the bike trails as well as in the general region.

Catrin

05-27-2010, 02:19 AM

Last night I saw not one, but two deer! One was a fawn that stepped up to the edge of the road as I approached. I talked to her and asked her kindly to wait for me to pass, and she turned around and went back into the woods :p Later on a large beautiful buck bounded across the road in front of me! I was far enough away that I was able to enjoy watching him.

Seems that right now all I see are deer, at least on the bike. When hiking last weekend I saw several salamanders peeking out from under a rock as I crossed a stream on a mountain bike trail. They probably thought I couldn't see them ;)

Bike Chick

05-27-2010, 04:12 AM

Yesterday was turtle day. I stopped twice along the ride to move a turtle off the road.

Yes, what is it with turtles all of a sudden??? There must be a huge migration between Kentucky and Illinois. Ha! Ha! I must've seen six box turtles on my ride yesterday. I also saw wild turkeys, deer, rabbits and squirrels. The critters were busy early in the morning.

7rider

05-27-2010, 04:35 AM

Yes, what is it with turtles all of a sudden??? There must be a huge migration between Kentucky and Illinois.

My DH stopped (in his car) the other day to escort a LARGE snapping turtle off the road. A guy in a Park Department pickup stopped as well to help him. The turtle didn't appreciate their efforts.

pfunk12

05-27-2010, 05:41 AM

I saw a fox on my morning commute last week. I thought it was an unleashed dog. It was standing in the middle of the street at 6 a.m. in a Washington, D.C. suburb so I naturally thought it was a dog. When it turned and I saw its profile and beautiful tail, I was shocked. It went into someone's yard and stopped as I rode by. About 1/2 mile later, I came up on a guy that I sometimes commute with and when he said, "You'll never guess what I just saw!" and I said, "A fox?", I think I burst his bubble. :D

PamNY

05-27-2010, 05:10 PM

Pam, where do you see waxwings in NY?? I love them.

Love raptors too. We have lots of bald eagles around here--I mean, on the bike trails as well as in the general region.

I saw the waxwings near the George Washington Bridge, where there's a lot of parkland. They are seen in Central Park, too. Here's a great photo (http://palemale-store.stores.yahoo.net/march192010.html) of one in Central Park.

Between reading about them here and seeing the eagle webcam, I'm developing a serious desire to see more bald eagles.

For those with an interest in raptors, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r0RlypzGyM) is a video of the mother hawk attempting to remove her dead baby from the nest (it is sad, but not too graphic).

She uses only her beak and doesn't succeed; there's speculation that her instinct to keep talons away from the babies prevented her using them in this case. This nest is at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and last I heard, the surviving baby is fine and should fledge any day now.

marni

05-27-2010, 07:26 PM

Yes, what is it with turtles all of a sudden??? There must be a huge migration between Kentucky and Illinois. Ha! Ha! I must've seen six box turtles on my ride yesterday. I also saw wild turkeys, deer, rabbits and squirrels. The critters were busy early in the morning.

It's mating season!!!! Down here in Houston the warnings are all out about the american alligators moving out of the bayous looking for mates. Tehy killed a 10" one today that was soaking up heat from a freeway feeder road. I guess they aren't on the endangered list anymore since it was a professional hunter/owner of a alligator farm that sells the flesh, who got the contract.

sigh... I'm all for progress but the poor gators are getting squeezed out and aren't really to blame for the stupid humans who get too close or let their little doggies out to investigate.

marni

azfiddle

05-27-2010, 08:02 PM

My DH & I stopped by a park with a fishing lake around sunset- we always see Black-crowned Night Herons there.

moonfroggy

05-27-2010, 09:47 PM

I saw a wild turkey today! I saw a hare last week she saw me turned around and hopped away. I always see lots of quails this time of year. In the past I have seen coyotes and foxes and deer and many types of birds I don't know the names of. Oh and I see lots of red wing black birds this time of year.

makbike

05-28-2010, 03:58 PM

No turtles today but I did spy a wood thrush, bluejay and yet another eastern cotton tail racing down the road.

PamNY

05-29-2010, 05:32 PM

Great bird day. King bird, Baltimore oriole, rufus-sided towhee, catbird, and a sparrow's nest. A mother cat with five kittens living near an electrical substation (employees are feeding them, and ASPCA will try to rescue them on Tuesday). Three snakes -- two garter, one I can't identify with white rings all along his black body (about the same size as the garters).

Best news of all, our mom hawk who lost her babies in a windstorm is showing signs of laying more eggs. She's rebuilt the nest, the birds have copulated frequently for two weeks, and during the past three days she's spend a great deal of time on the nest. Looked like she was going to sleep in the nest tonight.

salsabike

05-29-2010, 09:02 PM

That waxwing photo is spectacular! And I totally love that the hawk nests at St. John the Divine, one of the most beautiful churches I've even been in.

It's positively duckling season here. At Logboom Park, where we normally start/end our rides, there were several different batches marching around. Funny how they never lose their cuteness factor no matter how many we may see.

lph

05-30-2010, 12:50 AM

It's positively duckling season here. At Logboom Park, where we normally start/end our rides, there were several different batches marching around. Funny how they never lose their cuteness factor no matter how many we may see.

yeah, I was thinking the same thing when kayaking yesterday. A family of Canadian Geese, mom, dad, and three goslings paddling along between me and the shore. We got some waves from a boat, and watching mom and dad and three longlegged lumpy mustard yellow little goslings wobbily hopping and waddling their way up onto a rock had me laughing out loud. :)

Bike Chick

05-30-2010, 11:02 AM

My DH stopped (in his car) the other day to escort a LARGE snapping turtle off the road. A guy in a Park Department pickup stopped as well to help him. The turtle didn't appreciate their efforts.

Oh my! I bet he didn't. My son did that once and the snapping turtle almost took his arm. They aren't very friendly reptiles!

Bike Chick

05-30-2010, 11:03 AM

It's mating season!!!! Down here in Houston the warnings are all out about the american alligators moving out of the bayous looking for mates. Tehy killed a 10" one today that was soaking up heat from a freeway feeder road. I guess they aren't on the endangered list anymore since it was a professional hunter/owner of a alligator farm that sells the flesh, who got the contract.

Alligators? In Houston? I had no idea. Guess I live a sheltered life here in middle America.

Catrin

05-30-2010, 11:20 AM

Today I saw two things that made me smile - a beautiful red-wing blackbird and a group of children set up alongside one of the country roads that I ride. They were selling Kool-Aid for .10 a small cup and also fresh eggs. They were jumping up and down to get my attention yelling things to me like:

"It's already made!"
"It's COLD!"
"The cups aren't very large!"

I had to laugh and promised that I would stop on my return trip. Not that I needed Kool-Aid! However I did stop, gave them a quarter instead of a dime, and had two sips of it. One of their moms were there and I suggested ice water might be a good addition and she agreed - they will do this every Sunday for the summer.

I should have taken a picture of the little stand, I haven't seen children doing that in years!

Skierchickie

05-31-2010, 08:41 AM

I frequently see eagles. Once or twice a summer I usually see a black bear (once it was a mother & 2 cubs that ran across the highway just ahead of me). One time I came around a curve on my mountain bike, only to see a skunk running full-tilt toward me on the trail! I had to make a snap decision whether to keep riding as fast as I could to get past him, or try to get turned around and headed the other way (if there was time).

Last week I had a fox bark at me. I heard a hoarse-sounding bark that sounded like a small dog with a sore throat, and he stepped out into the road. I was wondering what kind of dog it was, as I kept riding, and then it barked once again and ran to the other side. Definitely a fox, but I'd never heard one bark before. It kept giving an occasional bark from the bushes by the road until I was gone. I thanked him (her?) for the wonderful experience, and recommended that he stay out of the road, and be safe. Probably a female with pups (kits?) near by.

PamNY

05-31-2010, 07:02 PM

One time I came around a curve on my mountain bike, only to see a skunk running full-tilt toward me on the trail! I had to make a snap decision whether to keep riding as fast as I could to get past him, or try to get turned around and headed the other way (if there was time).

So, which did you do?

I saw Canada geese babies today -- and I cannot top the description lph gave.

Catrin, I love little kid lemonade stands -- most often see them in connection with yard sales (or stoop sales, as they are in NYC).

Our Mom hawk continues to sit on her nest, so we think she's laid a second set of eggs. If they hatch, her babies will be two months behind the usual hawk schedule.

azfiddle

06-19-2010, 09:15 PM

I first thought it was a good sized dog- but I realized that I was about to cross paths with a javalina this morning. Javalinas (metimes called peccaries) are desert creatures that resemble pigs. It emerged from a yard today on my ride . They have poor eyesight, are unpredictable and usually in packs, so I wasn't quite sure whether to stop and get off, turn around, or keep going. Fortunately, it was by itself and looked up, stopped and let me ride by. They are not uncommon here, especially in neighborhoods with a lot of desert vegetation, but it was the first time I've come so close to running in to one.

It was a little extra adrenalin-

Zen

06-19-2010, 09:46 PM

Did somebody say turtles?
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/Paddling/P1000626.jpg

I've been doing more paddling than riding lately.

Then there was this guy in the neighborhood
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/Turtles/P1000268.jpg

and this guy in the yard-
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/zencentury/P1000317.jpg
This last one surprises me as I think it's a mostly aquatic painted turtle as opposed to the semi-aquatic box turtle
I also think the last one is a female.

Selkie

06-20-2010, 04:11 AM

Those are Maryland Terrapins! ;-) Great pictures, Zen.

The last couple weeks or so, I've been seeing a trio of kits (fox babies), playing and exploring, during my predawn rides. Last year in exactly the same spot, there was another bunch of fox babies. Also have been spotting small fawn with their mommies and a few baby bunnies. A couple of the fawns have been so small that I thought they were dogs at first!

Aggie_Ama

06-20-2010, 06:32 PM

Zen

06-20-2010, 06:43 PM

At least it wasn't a Chupacabra

PamNY

06-30-2010, 03:50 PM

I've been watching a monk parakeet nest forever, and today I finally saw a juvenile. Not surprisingly, he is the cutest thing. Quite good at flying, but needs to work on his landing skills.

I also got to watch the adults work on the nest, which was fascinating. The nest is like a globe of woven sticks with circular doors. I confirmed that this nest is a duplex with two doors. These very social birds live in colonies, so I hope it gets bigger.

Aggie_Ama

07-04-2010, 11:50 AM

Aggie_Ama

07-04-2010, 11:51 AM

At least it wasn't a Chupacabra

Still got my eyes out for those, since you know they live in Texas. :p

Owlie

07-04-2010, 10:02 PM

Not wildlife, but I certainly HEARD a peacock on Saturday's ride.
A pair of finches and what looked like an owl (species unknown) swooped across my path. More deer.

Not on a ride, but the neighborhood fox has two kits now. And they're adorable.

Catrin

07-05-2010, 05:31 AM

It is going to be HOT today, so apparently the animals watched the weather report this morning :D

Saw two deer, a good number of red-wing blackbirds and other kinds of birds. A flock? of ducks were hanging in a farmers pond next to the road - and best of all, a rabbit ran with me briefly! I think I was more surprised at his speed than he was at me - I was cruising at 14mph and it shot out of the corn, ran alongside the road - keeping up with me - briefly then darted back into the corn. Thankfully he didn't dart in front of me...

Catrin

07-05-2010, 10:46 AM

Does it count if I was simply scouting the route for my long ride next Saturday? I WILL see those Arabian Horses and Reindeer on my bike, just like I did in my car today...and given that area's reputation for animals one wouldn't expect to see - I may just see more than that :D

I AM planning on taking the camera this week - and since it is a "long" ride, well then, I have to take breaks, right?

malkin

07-05-2010, 11:41 AM

In addition to calling the bumps and obstacles (his job as tandem captain), Brewer has started calling the road kill.

*bleh*
'Tis the season.

Catrin

07-05-2010, 11:43 AM

In addition to calling the bumps and obstacles (his job as tandem captain), Brewer has started calling the road kill.

*bleh*
'Tis the season.

Better than some other names...Am trying to avoid and ignore this...

PamNY

07-06-2010, 04:12 PM

In addition to calling the bumps and obstacles (his job as tandem captain), Brewer has started calling the road kill..

That's funny. Unpleasant, but funny.

Catrin

07-10-2010, 12:28 PM

Had fun today on my ride - I heard about these animals so I made sure to have my real camera with me. It is challenging to try and take pics when your sunglasses doesn't have bifocals :o

There were other animals at the same farm where I took all of these pics outside of the goats, but I couldn't see well enough to zoom in on them properly. I am including a cropped version of the picture, but may delete it.

The two males appeared to be made nervous by my presence, they rose from their resting in the shade and started constantly moving around their enclosure. It didn't seem a very large enclosure for such large animals... I also took pics of the females in the next enclosure, but as they were smart and stayed in the shade the pics didn't come out at all.

PamNY

07-16-2010, 06:21 PM

I watch a nest of monk parakeets on my usual ride. Lately, they've gotten even more interesting. A new bird is trying to join their family -- with only limited success. I think he's a lovebird, and he's allowed to hang on their nest or nearby, but if he tries to go inside, the monks chase him away.

It's quite poignant to watch. I haven't heard of feral lovebirds in this climate, so I suspect he's an escaped pet. Of course I'm anthropomorphizing, but it seems he's trying so hard to fit in. I do worry about him. I don't think he can survive the winter.

I'm in the process of seeking opinions about this little fellow from more knowledgeable birders.

ETA: The first photo show only monks; the lovebird is the colorful bird in the last three photos. Monks are green with white chests. The little visitor is multi-colored.

Owlie

07-16-2010, 08:25 PM

I totally forgot to report this, but the last ride I took on the trail back home, guess who walked across my path?

The peacock. I didn't get a picture of him, but he just walked across that trail like he owned the place and disappeared into the trees.

Catrin

07-18-2010, 09:16 AM

Did the official Noah's Ark ride today - I rode part of it last week - saw most of the same animals plus a farm where they had a huge assortment of animals in the same field! Horses, Llamas, sheep, and a few others that were too far away for me to identify.

This one seems to be posing for the camera :D

PamNY

07-28-2010, 07:35 AM

We can see the baby hawks now! They are all the more precious since three were lost earlier this year to a windstorm.

I love babies at this stage.

http://palemale.com/july242010.html

http://urbanhawks.blogs.com/urban_hawks/riverside_drive_redtailed_hawks/

Bike Chick

07-30-2010, 06:55 AM

Yesterday was a first for me. I startled a flock of wild turkeys by the side of the road as I approached and they all took to flight in front of me and beside me. I actually had to duck my head and feathers were floating everywhere!

I had a sad sight on my commute this morning. Someone had hit a whitetail fawn with a car and it was laying on the side of the road. It wasn't much bigger than a beagle. Poor thing:(

shootingstar

08-07-2010, 09:26 AM

Kinda neat to see a pr. of storks during our cycling trip in Germany. I finally uploaded some pics here. (http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/behold-a-stork-sightings-during-cycling-trip/) and comments.

Melalvai

08-11-2010, 11:40 AM

Literally this critter was "on my ride"!
http://www.kemenel.org/melalvai/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/preying-mantis1.jpeg

I forgot to mention the rest of the story. My co-worker is a microbiologist and those microbiologists are a little weird, she likes insects and names genus & species of every tick she finds crawling on her. So I walked my bike over next to hers and encouraged the preying mantis to relocate to her handlebar. Then I went home and sent her an email "Did you get my present?"

She didn't see him until halfway home when he jumped on her hand! She encouraged him to move back to her handlebar where he perched like a hood ornament lookin' bad and enjoying the breeze. Once home, he jumped on her shirt, and she relocated him to a nice tree. He's about big enough to eat the cats... THEN she read my email.

shootingstar

08-11-2010, 12:32 PM

This content seal (? I think that's what it was. Not a sea lion..) was lying by a ferry dock at a Vancouver Island stop where we brought our bikes on board yesterday.

What a happy slob! :rolleyes:

Shantae

08-12-2010, 01:53 PM

I love seeing rabbits, squirrels, and deer when cycling.

azfiddle

08-12-2010, 02:33 PM

Seems like lately I mostly see dead animals... 2 dead Gila Monsters last weekend, and a few snakes.

PamNY

08-12-2010, 02:35 PM

Love the praying mantis story and the seal, too.

Melalvai

08-20-2010, 11:03 AM

I saw what looked like an enormous grasshopper just sitting on the road ahead. After a while I wondered if it was a large escaped iguana.

It was a piece of twisted rusty metal.

OakLeaf

08-20-2010, 12:13 PM

On Wednesday night, a whole BIG flock of turkeys. One of them flew across the road in front of us. There must have been 40.

A little garter snake crossing the road, on my run today. :)

Catrin

08-21-2010, 01:27 PM

Today I saw 4 deer running across the road. One after the other, about 5 seconds apart - and they seemed to be crossing in the order of their size - the youngest first :)

PamNY

08-22-2010, 07:26 PM

The cormorant posed for me! Climbed up on a rock and showed off his pretty wings.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8867349@N08/4916094343/

moonfroggy

08-22-2010, 11:00 PM

yesterday i saw 2 gray foxes maybe a dozen deer lots and lots of California quail and then i saw a bob cat! and it was right in front of me. i was mountain biking and going pretty slow and i heard some rustling so slowed down and as i was stopping it leaped out of the bushes across the path i was on. i think it was 5 or 6 feet away. was a really great ride. i got a little lost but if i hadn't gone the wrong way i never would have seen the bob cat so i am glad for it.

ame

08-23-2010, 09:20 AM

I spent all of Saturday cruising through the country near my house and saw:
2 peacocks, ostrich (farm), alpacas, LOTS of cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, several squirrels, swainson hawk, barn owl (which was a shock), vulture, a wild turkey with her chicks, a jackrabbit the size of a terrier, a coyote, several chasing dogs (grrrr), and the icing on the cake was a doe and her fawn crossing the road into a vineyard.

It made my work commute and mortgage worth living here.:)

PamNY

08-23-2010, 05:43 PM

ame, what a superb nature day you had. If you don't mind me asking, where do you live to see all that? And was the barn owl out in daytime?

Our baby hawks still haven't fledged. This video of their baby antics in the nest tree is hilarious. One baby eats a rat at about 3:30 so don't watch if you are squeamish.

http://urbanhawks.blogs.com/urban_hawks/2010/08/rainy-day.html

ame

08-24-2010, 09:46 AM

@PamNY: I live in the country south of Sacramento, CA. About 5 miles from where I live, there is actually a rescue for retired performing animals, so depending on my route I can see some wild stuff.

I saw the barn owl at about 6:30 in the evening. It was quite a bit early, but I think since it was cool Saturday and the field mice were out and about, he (she?) was getting a snack.

PamNY

08-31-2010, 11:30 AM

The monk parakeet nest that I watch was destroyed recently. Neighborhood gossip says it was vandalism -- that a "group of men" came with ropes and sticks and brought it down.

I don't know if that's true -- the nests do occasionally fall when they get too heavy. Either way, it's sad and I miss my cheery, friendly buddies.

The monks are trying to build on lights at a nearby football field, and they'll probably be chased away. Life isn't easy for these little guys.

PamNY

10-26-2010, 03:46 PM

As I feared, the monk parakeets were allowed to build nests on the football field lights for two months and now they've been taken down. It's the worst possible thing for the birds -- to be homeless just as it's getting cold.

I am writing letters to the park administrators, but the harm is done. It's so hard to advocate for these birds. Since they are subject to poaching, it's not a good idea to publicize even the general area where there nests are located.

In happy news for birdwatchers, a prothonotary warbler has settled in at the main branch of the public library. He (or she) is eating very well and getting a lot of online attention from the bird bloggers (http://mariewinnnaturenews.blogspot.com/). More photos here (http://thebethlenz.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-gold-sweetness.html).

emily_in_nc

10-26-2010, 06:26 PM

azfiddle

12-18-2010, 02:07 PM

Javalinas are not uncommon in the desert outskirts of Tucson, Arizona. I enjoy them from a distance, as they are unpredictable, don't smell too great and big enough that you wouldn't want to tangle with one on a bike.

This morning I stopped to give one a healthy distance as it slowly crossed a major street on my ride. The traffic on the other side of the road still waited as it looked back across the road- and then I saw a tiny javalina baby (javalinette?) very cautiously and tentatively picked its way across the street where the mama javalina was waiting and looking very protective.

In case you don't know about javalinas....http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/game_javelina.shtml

I didn't take this picture, but it was this tiny! http://tinyurl.com/27qryv9

PamNY

01-14-2011, 08:50 AM

One of our Central Park hawks is missing and presumed dead. Lola was the fourth mate to Pale Male, who became well-known when he moved into Central Park and built a nest on a ritzy Fifth Avenue apartment building.

The building took down the nest at one point, but was forced by public outcry to allow the hawks to rebuild. The pair have been featured in a documentary and movie.

It's a romantic and anthropomorphic point of view, I know, but these two did seem to enjoy each others' company and engaged in courtship behaviors year-round. Pale Male has recently begun flirting with a new mate.

Here's Lola:

http://www.palemale.com/lolal.html

Trekhawk

01-14-2011, 03:57 PM

emily_in_nc

01-15-2011, 05:38 PM

Aww, that's sad about Lola. We have the Pale Male video, and I found the story so incredibly touching.

PamNY

01-16-2011, 08:14 AM

Trekhawk, having watched hawks hunt, I can see why hawks around chickens would be undesirable. City hawks mostly eat rats, which is a good thing.

As always, photographer Lincoln Karim has some terrific images.

Pale Male's new mate on the nest:

http://www.palemale.com/january152011s.html
http://www.palemale.com/january152011l.html (same photos in larger size; great if you have a hi res monitor)

These photos show Pale Male courting his new mate with aerial acrobatics. There are also juvenile redtails and a Cooper's hawk in this set:

http://www.palemale.com/january92011s.html
http://www.palemale.com/january92011l.html (same photos; large size)

emily_in_nc

01-16-2011, 04:42 PM

How wonderful! Thanks for posting these, PamNY. :)

PamNY

01-31-2011, 06:42 AM

An interesting update to the Pale Male story. He was courting a dark-colored female for a long time. She's disappeared, and he has a new, lighter-colored lady in his life.

Lincoln Karim's photos are here:

http://www.palemale.com/january302011s.html

I don't know if this behavior is usual for hawks or not; I had assumed that a mate is a mate to hawks, but clearly something didn't work out.

Once again, I'm reminded of how lucky we are to observe these birds so closely, even when our observations give us more questions than answers.

emily_in_nc

01-31-2011, 11:20 AM

An interesting update to the Pale Male story. He was courting a dark-colored female for a long time. She's disappeared, and he has a new, lighter-colored lady in his life.

What beautiful photos - thanks for sharing the link. The poster called the mate a "person" in one caption! That made me smile. :D

happinesshill

02-01-2011, 03:06 PM

How neat! We see lots of critters too. Of course, we are passing lots of fields with horses, goats and cows in them. We have seen lots of Whitetail deer. A ground hog. 'Possum. Snakes. Lots of turkey vultures and hawks. Birds of every variety. Do the dogs that chase us count? LOL

crazycanuck

02-10-2011, 07:00 PM

:confused: I'm not sure what was up with the green bird-either a ringneck or a rainbow lorikeet- I saw on the path this morning but it was just a wee bit odd...I was heading to a pedestrian overpass where normally there are heaps of these guys squacking & wandering around. One of them was sitting on the path very still but looked as if it was breathing. I stood by it for a few minutes wondering what exactly to do. I spoke to it :o & then thought perhaps i should touch it but decided against it as I'd no idea what it would do...

I moved on but am now wondering if this is normal for birdies..

PamNY

02-10-2011, 07:25 PM

I don't know what's normal, but it sounds odd. Those lorikeets are beautiful birds. Australia has the neatest birds.

Have you ever seen lyrebirds or bower birds?

crazycanuck

02-10-2011, 07:40 PM

Pam, I thought that you might respond :) as i know you're a bird person. It was a bit odd but it was even funnier that i actually said "helloooo birdie..yooo hooo, hello.." :o

Lyrebirds/Bower Birds are mainly found in Tassie & South Eastern Australia http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Menura-novaehollandiae

http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Ptilonorhynchus-violaceus

I've never seen them...

Thanks!

Trekhawk

02-11-2011, 02:48 AM

I was not riding when I saw this little guy/girl but it was so cute I had to post it.
The snap was taken on a recent trip to Tasmania.:)

salsabike

02-11-2011, 06:51 AM

My God, that IS cute, Trekhawk.

salsabike

02-11-2011, 06:53 AM

[QUOTE=crazycanuck;556965]:confused: I'm not sure what was up with the green bird-either a ringneck or a rainbow lorikeet- I saw on the path this morning but it was just a wee bit odd...I was heading to a pedestrian overpass where normally there are heaps of these guys squacking & wandering around. One of them was sitting on the path very still but looked as if it was breathing. I stood by it for a few minutes wondering what exactly to do. I spoke to it :o & then thought perhaps i should touch it but decided against it as I'd no idea what it would do...

I moved on but am now wondering if this is normal for birdies..[/QUOT

He might have flown into something and was stunned for a bit. Very occasionally just this kind of thing will happen when a bird flies into a window here. They'll bounce off and just sort of sit for a while regatheriing their senses, and often end up recovering and flying away.

PamNY

02-11-2011, 02:40 PM

Pam, I thought that you might respond :) as i know you're a bird person. It was a bit odd but it was even funnier that i actually said "helloooo birdie..yooo hooo, hello.."

I talk to the birds, too. It's fun. Some of them seem to pay attention -- especially monk parakeets. I would think a lorikeet might be similarly inclined. Thanks for the links!

PamNY

02-11-2011, 02:48 PM

I was not riding when I saw this little guy/girl but it was so cute I had to post it.
The snap was taken on a recent trip to Tasmania.:)

Cute for sure! What is it?

emily_in_nc

02-11-2011, 05:24 PM

I was not riding when I saw this little guy/girl but it was so cute I had to post it.
The snap was taken on a recent trip to Tasmania.:)

Porcupine? Darling! :p

crazycanuck

02-11-2011, 06:22 PM

That little creature looks like an echidna..

Salsabike, I agree & think it may have just been stunned as it was still breathing. Just a bit funny/odd for a friday morning.

All I could think of for the rest of the day was the dead parrot sketch...

Trekhawk

02-11-2011, 09:26 PM

Cute for sure! What is it?

Yep CC is right it is an Echidna.
http://www.australianfauna.com/echidna.php

azfiddle

02-12-2011, 08:05 PM

This afternoon we stopped at a park that is a desert oasis. There is a natural spring that feeds a large man-made pond. it's always good for wildlife, and there were quite a few ducks (Wigeon, Mallards and Ring-necked Ducks). Today we were watching a Cooper's Hawk chase a Gila Woodpecker overhead in mid-air. I have done a lot of birding over the years, and I have never witnesses such a spectacular chase scene. The hawk caught the woodpecker after a series of mid-air changes of direction.

PamNY

02-13-2011, 06:41 PM

The Cooper's hawk chase must have been wonderful. I've watched them chase but never seen a catch.

PamNY

02-24-2011, 06:43 PM

I got very lucky with hawks today -- the juvenile (brown tail) was perched in an unusually low spot, so easy to photograph. The adult is a female who should lay eggs soon. I think she looks very thoughtful about the whole situation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8867349@N08/sets/72157626005874877/with/5475300394/

Trekhawk

02-26-2011, 06:58 PM

Trek-chick

03-03-2011, 07:18 AM

Snapping Turtle!!

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/beebop1/Bicycle%20Touring/512mbcard033.jpg

Catrin

03-04-2011, 04:05 AM

I saw 13 deer on a short 1:10 ride late yesterday afternoon! Considering I was riding loops in a large park it is probable that there was at least some double-counting, but still :) It is, of course, easier to see them before the leaves return, but they do blend in with their surroundings - all of that brown. They all appeared to be quite young, probably all born last year.

One sighting was interesting. I watched her run up to the road - then she stopped, walked across the pavement, then started running again when her feet hit the grass. It was like she was remembering deer-road-crossing school instructions :D

malkin

03-06-2011, 08:26 AM

The usual ducks and geese, a Cooper's Hawk (unusual for downtown), a blue jay (don't usually see them downtown either), and a guy unconscious with his legs akimbo over a ramp at the back of Domino's Pizza.

Brewer didn't see him, but he turned the tandem around to go back; I guess he knew by listening to me that we had to.

We shouted at him; the guy moved a little bit (quite a relief to see that he wasn't dead!), but was unresponsive with his cell phone on the ground next to him. Called 911 and everyone came, ambulance, police, fire truck and then we left and finished our ride.

Glad that doesn't happen very often.

PamNY

03-06-2011, 08:46 AM

Ooh, the turtle is gorgeous. Was he heading across the road (I hope not)?

Catrin, I have seen deer do what your describe. Always makes me wonder what, if anything, they understand about cars.

Malkin, I am hearing more and more about Cooper's in urban areas. Don't know if it's coincidence, or if they are moving into cities due to lack of habitat.

Duck on Wheels

03-06-2011, 03:56 PM

Lately I've been walking/jogging more than biking, carrying my camera kit (makes for several pounds of extra excercize weight, totes my water bottle, and gives me an excuse to stop and catch my breath now and then), and watching out for birds. In the past couple of weeks I've got photos of three different bird species going through their mating rituals - American kestrel, Red-shouldered hawk, and Canada goose. Seeing a bobcat in broad daylight when on a hike with my husband back in November was at least equally thrilling, but my photos of it weren't so great.

emily_in_nc

03-06-2011, 05:42 PM

We always see a lot of birds. Yesterday two huge crows swooped down and came a few feet from my DH's head. Kinda freakish, as I watched from 10 feet or so back. Also a nice large turtle in a creek was sunning himself on a log. Signs of spring!

Trek-chick

03-07-2011, 12:36 PM

azfiddle

03-19-2011, 02:13 PM

As I was climbing slowly the slopes of Mount Lemmon (outside Tucson) I had a wonderful glimpse of a Rock Wren perched on a rock (naturally!) and heard a Canyon Wren's descending whistle just a little further on. I heard, but did not see. some migrating Brewer's Sparrows, and resident Black-throated Sparrows, House Finches and Lesser Goldfinches. There were also a few Common Ravens soaring overhead.

isconniethere

03-19-2011, 08:20 PM

These two guys are on my ride. They always come over to check me out!
12831

drgynfyr

03-20-2011, 05:39 AM

depends what area i'm riding in usually iguanas, gerbils, snakes, lizards :)
or hermit crabs and alligators and turtles

PamNY

03-20-2011, 07:13 PM

depends what area i'm riding in usually iguanas, gerbils, snakes, lizards :)
or hermit crabs and alligators and turtles

Gerbils?

drgynfyr

03-22-2011, 06:09 AM

yep, it was a gerbil :)

Only thing i could think of was someone let their pet go in there in the park.

Was sooo cute.

audreytatou

03-27-2011, 01:58 PM

I saw a mob of about 30 kangaroos the other day. They looked so beautiful, all just relaxing close to the tress, wonderful!

PamNY

03-29-2011, 04:56 PM

Oooh, kangaroos! How do they react to humans?

Australian wildlife sounds so wonderful. We were just discussing butcher birds, bower birds and lyre birds on the Hornby Eagle chat.

OakLeaf

03-29-2011, 05:07 PM

I saw a roadkill bobcat kitten on a bridge. :( :( :( Poor thing must have died terrified, unable to get away from the traffic.

crazycanuck

03-29-2011, 06:46 PM

Pam-kangaroos are dang unpredictable & are most active right before sunrise, during sunrise and the same for sunset. They might be cute for all you in the northern hemisphere but they're no fun to run into either on a bike or in a car!!!

Whilst doing a practice lap for our race last week, I ventured out to the trail & had quite a few bounce over the trail in front of me. "ooo that's so cute you say.."..no!!! If you frighten one of them, you do understand who'll come out second best right....One of the pairs I saw was a mom & a younger roo. They & the others I saw hopped off in a flash.

I always hear something in the bushes rustle as I mtn bike..No clue what's out there but i'm not about to go looking....

There's a well known very easy & dang boring rail trail here we use to get to another cooool trail that's right beside a set of drops by a (at the momennt no water) waterfall. One night whilst out using said boring trail, two or three roos hopped ONCe accross the trail & into said drop...zooooommmm...off like a flash. It's not a drop that a human would just jump into..!!!

Trekhawk

03-29-2011, 07:11 PM

I saw a roadkill bobcat kitten on a bridge. :( :( :( Poor thing must have died terrified, unable to get away from the traffic.

Oh poor thing!
I saw a roadkill kangaroo today on my ride and could smell it for what seemed like kms before I got to it. Lucky me for being such a slow rider.:(

crazycanuck

03-30-2011, 03:48 AM

:eek: Bleeeecchh...Trekhawk, I too have come across the same thing whilst out on a trail & it's not a welcoming smell...

bleeecchh...pitooey..blahhh...

audreytatou

03-30-2011, 02:18 PM

Oooh, kangaroos! How do they react to humans?

Australian wildlife sounds so wonderful. We were just discussing butcher birds, bower birds and lyre birds on the Hornby Eagle chat.

best to keep away from...especially at "that" time of the month apparently, but they look amazing at a distance and bounce with such strength....we have a bower brid next in the neighbours garden, its built by the male to attract the girls and he covers the floor in blue things...any blue things...infact they take stuff from around your house, amazing nest too...love lyre birds too...the live out the back of our place, great mimics....sorry couldnt find the 'hornby eagle chat' :)

limewave

04-04-2011, 06:10 AM

I went for a ride last week, first "lunch hour" ride for me of the season. I live in a small city, but just to the north and west is a State Park and some wetlands, so we have quite a bit of small wild-life near us like red foxes, swans, wild turkeys, deer, etc.

Anyways, I'm riding IN THE CITY and I see two large wild looking dogs running in unison towards me down the road. They were big. No collars on them and no one in site out walking or in their yards. I actually thought I was hallucinating for a minute, seeing something out of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

Fortunately they ran right passed me. Turns out they were Coyotes!!! I've been hearing about more and more sitings of coyotes in the area, but I had not seen one.

Now I've seen Coyotes and a Lynx out on rides near my home. Bears are starting migrate further and further south, so I imagine that it is only a matter of time before I spy one of those out on the trail.

PamNY

04-12-2011, 12:00 PM

Oh gosh, coyotes. It's interesting but so sad that they don't have the habitat they need. We've had them in NYC parks but I've never seen one.

PamNY

04-15-2011, 07:02 AM

The best wildlife I see on my rides has been endangered by our Parks Dept. placing rat poison very near the hawks' nest (http://www.dnainfo.com/20110412/upper-west-side/hawk-lovers-angry-parks-dept-put-rat-poison-too-close-riverside-nest) just before eggs are due to hatch.

It's too late to stop what has already happened but I'm doing what I can to publicize the situation. The above story came about because I contacted them, and I'm writing to everyone else I can think of.

The rat situation is due in part to poor handling of garbage. This is a long page (http://palemale-store.stores.yahoo.net/ritr.html), but you only need to glance at the first few photos to see the problem.

badger

04-22-2011, 05:20 PM

I smelled the skunk before I saw it... the poor thing looked like his head was stuck in a small bottle and either died of asphyxiation or starvation :( I obviously didn't take a close look as the possibility disturbed me so much. My boyfriend said I should've taken a picture to show people the destruction of garbage has on wildlife.

emily_in_nc

04-22-2011, 06:13 PM

Awww, badger, that is so sad. That would really disturb me too.

Plastics suck! :mad:

PamNY

04-24-2011, 08:00 AM

Badger, that is terrible. A photo would be a good idea, but I'm not sure I'd want to be the photographer.

Pax

04-24-2011, 08:11 AM

Saw some bunnies today, I if squinted my eyes just right they looked like Easter Bunnies!!!

Biciclista

04-24-2011, 08:14 AM

on our ride yesterday we saw two bald eagles, some bunnies, lots of Canadian geese and seagulls.

thanks you guys for including the animals killed by our sloppiness...It hurts to read about it, but if we don't, they die totally in vain.

azfiddle

04-24-2011, 08:56 AM

We saw a lot of cottontail bunnies out this morning. None had Easter baskets with them though.

PamNY

04-24-2011, 10:04 AM

Oh, bald eagles and bunnies. I am envious.

I agree that it's educational to include the human-caused bad stuff which is way too common in the world of wildlife.

emily_in_nc

04-24-2011, 01:30 PM

Today a big bird flew RIGHT in front of me as I whizzed down a flat road. I was able to id it after it passed and headed into the woods. A pileated woodpecker! Made my day. :)

azfiddle

04-24-2011, 03:47 PM

emily_in_nc

04-24-2011, 03:56 PM

Cool- Pileated Woodpecker is a very special bird- not something we see in Arizona.

We had a lot of birds on our ride today too- Gila Woodpeckers, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture- and many we could just identify by hearing them along the way- Cactus Wren, Canyon Towhee, Lucy's Warbler, Bell's Vireo, Cardinal, Black-throated Sparrow, Cassin's Kingbird, Barn Swallows, House Finches, Broad-billed Hummingbird, White-winged Doves, Mourning Dove.

Great list! Would love to see a Gila woodpecker! I did see many other birds as well, mostly cardinals, mockingbirds, robins, one hawk, and some other small birds I couldn't ID. We had Pilated woodpeckers nesting on the property we sold last year, so it was a real treat for me to see the one here in the new 'hood.

PamNY

04-27-2011, 04:36 PM

One of the hawks I watch died over the weekend. We suspect he ate a poisoned rat, but necropsy results aren't back yet. The Parks Dept. found his body on Sunday, but didn't tell anyone, so we spent a miserable few days searching and worrying.

He was the father of newly hatched babies (about 10-14 days old) and it will be difficult, if not impossible, for the mother to raise them alone. I just visited the nest; the mom hawk is still calling for him. We can't know what birds feel, but I can tell you the humans who have watched this pair for years feel very sad.

Here's the last photo I took of Riverside Dad (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8867349@N08/5638759755/), showing a little bit of his brood patch.

emily_in_nc

04-27-2011, 06:33 PM

Awwww, Pam. That is such sad news. I grieve over things like that. Poor Mama Hawk. Nature is so very cruel. :(

azfiddle

05-11-2011, 07:10 PM

Saw a whole herd of javalina today at Saguaro NP. Last week, I was just a minute too late to see a Gila Monster.

redrhodie

05-12-2011, 07:05 AM

Not as exciting as javalinas, but today I saw 5 bunnies, and a family of geese with 3 goslings. They were so cute, even the cars stopped for them. They were crossing the road, of course.

carolync

05-12-2011, 10:53 AM

I saw a turkey vulture and a great blue heron flew right in front of me, it looked like it was going to turn around and fly back, but it ended up landing 5 feet from me.

PamNY

05-15-2011, 05:29 PM

I would so love to see javalina(s). Nothing is more wonderful than goslings.
Great blue heron is a cool thing to see, too!

Heazgoody

05-15-2011, 06:26 PM

I saw a yellow bellied marmot on this morning's ride

azfiddle

05-15-2011, 06:41 PM

Cool- where was that?

OakLeaf

05-29-2011, 07:12 AM

Yesterday I saw six great blue herons ... one flew across the road right in front of me ... remembering Gil Scott-Heron who died on Friday.

azfiddle

05-29-2011, 11:35 AM

Nice reference on the herons....

Wednesday, I saw a Gila Monster pointed out by the park ranger at Saguaro NP.

Today a Cooper's Hawk was keeping pace with me for a while. Saw an American Kestrel, too. Last weekend I noted over 30 species of birds along my 49 mile route, which was mostly urban and desert but also included a brief stop at a pond.

Catrin

05-29-2011, 12:15 PM

While not wild, today I saw 5 male reindeer and 3 females while on my ride. Also saw a few Llamas and some goats along with other interesting and exotic creatures not usually found in central Indiana :)

Last year they only had two males, the "baby" boys are getting pretty darn large - their antlers are quite impressive already! My assumption is they were born last year and not brought in. Hoping to get pics next time, this time I was fighting such a strong headwind that I did not want to stop...and a hill was coming.

redrhodie

05-30-2011, 06:08 AM

The chipmunks are so crazy these days! They keep running in front of me. They're so cute; I'd hate it if I ever hit one.

MomOnBike

05-30-2011, 07:35 AM

Yesterday's count:

1 otter. (and this in the city)

1 brood of fluffy goslings, with parents - grazing

1 goldfinch.

The usual quotient of squirrels, both black and grey.

PamNY

05-30-2011, 08:04 AM

Wow, an otter!

Catrin, you make central Indiana sound sound like animal paradise!

I searched earnestly for chipmunks in Brooklyn, but didn't find them yet. No chipmunks at all in Manhattan, which I find strange.

Our fatherless hawk family in Riverside Park is doing well. Mom hawk is getting supplemental food provided by a wildlife rehabber, and the babies are about to fledge.

emily_in_nc

05-30-2011, 08:57 AM

Yesterday I got to see a wild turkey at close range as I rode along a rural road next to woods. He flew up to a nearby tree, but not before I'd gotten a great look at him. Sure wish I'd had a camera at the ready! Also a great blue heron, many squirrels, and smaller songbirds.

Duck on Wheels

05-30-2011, 05:30 PM

From yesterday's 35-miler, which was also an experiment in bike-n-birding. I rode with my SLR in a frontpack, small hydration pack on my back (was recovering from one of my Crohn's cramp days, so needed plenty of water). The packs and the heaps of hydration both worked. The ride passed lots of wetlands. Mostly we saw Canada Geese, Mallards and Song Sparrows ... and then I saw this guy and hollered "Bird Stop!" to Trek who was out in the lead. The heron was on the far side of a black-painted chain-link fence, which you can kind of see blurred out in the forefront.

emily_in_nc

05-30-2011, 06:31 PM

PamNY

05-30-2011, 06:35 PM

Duck that is fabulous!

m.eliza

06-01-2011, 01:59 PM

Saw a gigantic mama snapping turtle crossing the road on Saturday. Then another one yesterday!

Owlie

06-08-2011, 11:50 AM

Last couple rides:
2 goldfinches
either an Eastern Bluebird or an Indigo Bunting. I only saw its back. I've seen bluebirds on the trail, but size- and color-wise I think it's more likely to be an indigo bunting
A first on the trail today--rabbits. I usually see squirrels and chipmunks, but not rabbits.

Nice picture, Duck!

lawnchick22

06-08-2011, 11:55 AM

Dead skunk
Dead racoon
Dead opossum
Dead groundhog
Dead frog
Dead snake

all equal BAD SMELLS

need I go on??

bmccasland

06-08-2011, 01:36 PM

need I go on??

Nah, maybe a different road to ride on?

makbike

06-14-2011, 01:36 PM

Yesterday while out exploring a new route and new adventure I found myself riding along a creek. The sun was out, skies were clear and a beautiful white tail doe was startled by my presence. She bolted and launched herself across the field she where she had been grazing. She ran diagonal to my path and the road quickly launching herself across the road and into the trees on the opposite side. She was so graceful - I felt bad about disturbing her breakfast. As I continued down this new road I was then greeted by a wild turkey hen and her clutch out for their morning walk. Momma hen took off with most of her babies quickly following except for one who decided to lay very still on the road. Momma hen was frantically calling to her babies and the last little one remained frozen on the road. I softly encouraged it to follow and within a few seconds it too high tailed it into the brush hopefully following momma hen's calls as she attempted to round up to clutch. As the trip continued I was treated to a couple of indigo buntings and numerous golden finches all decked out in their breeding plumage. I absolutely love riding in the country as there is so much to see and enjoy as one makes their way from point A to point B.

PamNY

06-14-2011, 02:23 PM

Oh, wild turkey and babies sounds wonderful. I would love to see the babies. How many were there, could you tell?

PamNY

06-14-2011, 02:39 PM

The fatherless hawk babies in Riverside Park fledged successfully. The supplemental feeding program is over, so Mom hawk will have to hunt enough to feed them while they are learning. Hawk parents are very attentive, so she still has the problems of any single parent, but I think they will be okay. Here are the kids just after they fledged:

http://palemale.com/june42011s.html

Here's a nifty video of Pale Male's kids (near Central Park). Much excitement over these two since Pale's eggs haven't hatched since 2004 (he has a new mate):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pViMx8v0qJ0&feature=player_embedded#at=26

Much more video and still photography of the Pale Male family is on palemale.com.

emily_in_nc

06-14-2011, 06:38 PM

Awesome, Pam! The original Pale Male documentary is just unforgettable.

Crankin

06-27-2011, 03:15 AM

This is not on a ride, this is in my driveway, aka known as my front yard.
The picture looks a little blue, as it's taken through the glass. If I opened the door, they would fly away.

Veronica

06-27-2011, 03:18 AM

I saw a coyote just walking through my suburban neighborhood on Saturday - quite the brazen fellow - just walking down the middle of the road.

Saw a rattler about 12 inches long climbing Diablo yesterday. Well, the guy in front of me said it was a rattler, I didn't stop to inspect his tail. :D

Veronica

Dr.Doo

06-27-2011, 04:58 AM

I see many a Lesser-Spotted Grockle (tourist) along with a goodly sprinkling of Lobster-Red Locals at this time of year. ;)

I live at the seaside so many types of gull are in evidence. If I follow National Cycle Route 62 inland then I encounter lots of small birds, ducks, swans, geese and squirrels. My 'wild-life' bugbear though are dogs. Or rather owners of said dogs who believe it's perfectly ok to allow their dogs to run free in cycle lanes/shared usage paths.

Norse

06-27-2011, 07:15 AM

In the space of less than probably 200 feet on a trail I was on I saw: a red fox, wild turkey and young deer. The deer was "frozen" about 15-20' off the trail, I slowed to a crawl, calmly talking to it (I was afraid it would bolt out in front of me) and he/she never budged, just kept looking at me. I could have practically reached out and touched it! Afterwards I just had to shake my head and grin at my good fortune of seeing 3 wild critters in such a short distance.

beccaB

06-27-2011, 07:24 AM

We saw a water moccasin, which is a poisonous snake I thought lived only in the south. Growing up in Florida I learned how to identify the characteristics of a poisonous snake, so we made it get out of the road with a stick. we always move turtles if we can, and sometimes snakes. My husband didn't believe me that it was a water moccasin so he went home and looked it up on the internet, and sure enough I was right.