What wildlife do you see on your rides?

**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 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 and various woodpeckers, and I've even heard a veery 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 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, 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

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.

**Trekhawk** · 08-22-2009, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by redrhodie

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!

**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!

**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

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

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.."

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!

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