Yesterday: osprey.
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Yesterday: osprey.
Yesterday I saw 1 coyote and a few birds along the way, including a singing male Pyrrhuloxia. Last year at this time I remember seeing many Sonoran Toads and Tarantulas ( mostly flat ones) but it was on a different route. The summer rains have re- invigorated the desert birds do a lot of species are singing both morning and evening when I ride.
Yesterday, I saw two finely sculpted deer and two hawks. I tried to get pictures but they didn't come out. All of them were so beautiful.
Saturday I saw cows and yesterday I saw a young deer. I also saw a lizard that I unfortunately ran over when it changed directions and ran right into my path. :(
We did a sunset- moonrise ride at Saguaro N. Park, and spotted Lesser Nighthawks, a Desert Spiny Lizard, a singing Black-throated Sparrow, several cottontail rabbits, a tarantula, 4 Poorwills (1 on the road and 3 singing) ... a Tiger Rattlesnake. Fortunately, it was off to the side of the road.
I saw a waxwing today - they are not particularly common around here, I don't think... at least I don't see them often. Then again we seem to have a veritable bird boom around here - lots more birds and more variety than when I first moved here.
Azfiddle, those are great sights. Waxwings are beautiful birds.
I found out there's a nesting tern colony in Manhattan -- on Governors Island.
The sassy, noisy youngsters are lots of fun to watch.
1 coyote, 2 garter snakes, 1 gopher snake and 1 deer freshly killed by a cougar -- that one made me nervous. It's on my regular nightly after work mountain bike route.
Wild mink.
This weekend we saw: roseate spoonbills, great egrets, snowy egrets, great blue herons, green herons, white ibis, turkey and black vultures, american crows, red-bellied, red-headed and pileated woodpeckers, blue birds, robins and 8 deer. I have to say at times we probably looked like drunk riders in the park. It's hard for us to not look at birds while we ride. Thankfully the park was mostly deserted.
There was also a dumped german shepherd that we tried to catch. She just wasn't having any of it. We sat on the ground for awhile and tried to lure her in, but no go. My partner went back to the park later and she was still there and she still couldn't catch her :(
I generally have to stop to really look at birds while I'm cycling, but I'm good with calls/songs. Generally it's easiest to see and hear them going uphill....
I suck at birding by ear. I know a handful of songs/calls, the ones I hear the most, like a cardinal or chickadee, but that's about it. Since we're on MTB that are in a very relaxed position it's easy to look around, but probably not a good idea :)Quote:
Originally Posted by azfiddle
Fortunately I don't see these guys very often. Attachment 15347
Okay, I admit it: I'm happy we don't see those on my rides. I'm happy to see most wildlife, even rattlesnakes (as long as I see them in advance). But I don't want to have to worry about getting past one of those guys....
Great topic! Out here in AZ you see all kinds of wildlife on my ride. I really need to take a camera with me. I saw a huge hairy tarantula in the middle of the road (while out running at 4 a.m. too), rattlesnakes, coyotes, scorpions, ground squirrels, javelina, and one day riding out a Bartlett Lake a Mountain Lion popped out on the road 100 feet in front of me! My first thoughts where (with sweat in my eyes so hard to see) "what in the hell is a golden retriever doing out here in the desert." But, my brain registered "that's too big to be a dog and it's not a coyote!" It started coming toward me and I kept going forward and the mountain lion stopped and ran across the road. This is when I saw it's long body and tail! Wow! That was real neat!