What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[OakLeaf]

a black squirrel (everyone is telling me it wasn't black but it was!)

why not? There's a big population of black squirrels in the town I live near.

Really I see more wildlife when I stay home. I'm moving too fast when I'm on the bike.

But how did you manage that snapping turtle without getting bit? I had to leave my car halfway down my lane one time, because there was a snapping turtle in the lane who would not move, and I sure wasn't going to get my fingers bit off!

[TahoeDirtGirl]

why not? There's a big population of black squirrels in the town I live near.

Really I see more wildlife when I stay home. I'm moving too fast when I'm on the bike.

But how did you manage that snapping turtle without getting bit? I had to leave my car halfway down my lane one time, because there was a snapping turtle in the lane who would not move, and I sure wasn't going to get my fingers bit off!

They tell me there aren't black squirrels in SE Mass. Well then, someone got into the shoe polish!

As for the snapper, at first I was going to grab is tail because that's how I was taught when I was a kid that you could pick them up but you had to hold it really close to the body. When I attempted it, my 38 year old senses kicked in and well, I wasn't 12 anymore. So I teased him with a stick and when he took hold, I dragged him across the road. I usually have a piece of cardboard in my car now for emergency turtle crossings and tobaggan them across (snappers that is). The box ones I'll pick up.

When I was growing up a snapper bit my dog's nose. He forever had a white scar on his pretty black nose.

Yesterday, the wildlife report was 2 turkeys, 2 deer and some type of weasel. I wish I got pics. I also found what appears to be wild blueberries. I need to consult with someone in the know around here on berries because there is an awful lot of them. And oh how I want to snatch some! Last year I was in MN on a bear study and the bear biologist I was with knew all the berries and I loved it. Here I'm still recovering from the stomach bug and didn't want to wind up in the ER from eating poison berries!

[TrekTheKaty]

Geese, ducks, herons, deer, wild turkey, snakes (sunning themselves on the path--dh swears he saw a copperhead), and VERY LARGE SNAPPING turtles. DH saw two large BULLS on the Katy Trail. They scurried ahead of him and then suddenly turned around. He was afraid to turn back or try to go by so he stopped--finally they stared each other down, went to separate sides of the path and sprinted by each other! I'd love to have a pic of that!

[crazycanuck]

It's spring & with the warmer temps the creatures will be venturing out..

Someone spotted a few snakes along the Kwinana bike path last saturday..

[andtckrtoo]

When I mountain bike around here I see tons of deer and hawks (love watching hawks). But my scariest and most excelerating sighting was a bobcat on an early morning ride. Big sucker, but with a short tail, so it was a cat, not a lion. A few days later on the same trail I saw a coyote. I've also seen mountain lion foot prints, but I don't usually ride early enough to see lions, thankfully. Their paw prints are rather intimidating.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

A white tailed deer crossed the road in front of me on my ride this morning. Big gangly teenage deer.

[jesvetmed]

One metal elk -- a carved one on the side of a barn I passed tonight!
Other than that, nothing NON-domesticated... lots of goats, sheep, horses and cows on tonight's ride. One LARGE hawk -- red-tailed perhaps? Seems early, but maybe! Oh, and the one orange fuzzy caterpillar. (Missed him!)

[Trekhawk]

It's spring & with the warmer temps the creatures will be venturing out..

Someone spotted a few snakes along the Kwinana bike path last saturday..

Yikes!!
I will be keeping my eyes out for them at home now with so much bush around our place.

[crazycanuck]

Trekhawk....where there are bobtails, there are bound to be tiger snakes etc..

Be careful!!!

Have you seen any white tail or red back spiders yet?

[limewave]

I didn't see much wildlife this morning. But I did see the end of the rainbow. Had to run back in the house to get the camera. Hopefully the pictures turn out.

[Trekhawk]

Trekhawk....where there are bobtails, there are bound to be tiger snakes etc..

Be careful!!!

Have you seen any white tail or red back spiders yet?

Snakes are out and about now that is for sure. I was on a ride a few days ago and a car coming the other way slowed down and I thought ok what is this going to be about. Two guys were in the car and I though yikes Im out in the middle of nowhere I hope they are not going to hassle me. No they wanted to let me know that up the road a bit further was one huge snake crossing the road. Happily I did not see the snake and enjoyed the rest of my ride.

Seen lots of spiders including the two above. I don't worry too much about the spiders here after living in NSW home of the Sydney Funnel Web.
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/weppner/...web_spider.htm

You want to stay well away from those suckers.