What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[Catrin]

I hadn't thought of that Oak, thanks. Then I thought I saw a raccoon a couple of days later - it IS that time of the year.

[PamNY]

Azfiddle, you see the coolest animals and birds!

Catrin, there is something poignant about possums. I saw them a lot growing up.

Today I saw a fairly typical assortment of migrating warblers, and some barn swallows putting on a lovely show.

[salsabike]

I love this thread.

Still in the duckling phase here; they're all over the place. Bald eagles also. I miss the winter birds but I made smoochy noises today when I saw Mt. Rainier very much "out", so there are definitely compensations.

[Hartmame]

I like this topic. I mostly ride the local rail trail and when I get out 12-15 miles I start seeing more unusual things. Mostly I look for deer but lately I've seen wild Turkey and a Herron, a wood pecker, lots of chipmunks, a snake and cardinals and bluejays.

[PamNY]

I miss the winter birds but I made smoochy noises today when I saw Mt. Rainier very much "out", so there are definitely compensations.

Ummm...out? Out of what?

[salsabike]

Ummm...out? Out of what?

The clouds. That's the local phrase, as in "The mountain is out today.". There's a joke about how you can tell someone is a Seattleite if she can point to three different volcanoes without actually being able to see them through the cloud cover. Although summer here is actually really spectacular, clear and dry and sunny sometimes for weeks and weeks.

[OakLeaf]

The trouble with this thread is that cycling is where I see the least amount of wildlife! I'm more likely to see critters when I'm moving at running speed ... or just staying home.

[DebW]

Saw a big snapping turtle yesterday (at least a foot across the carapace) beside the bike path on my way to work when crossing a wetland.

[Owlie]

The trouble with this thread is that cycling is where I see the least amount of wildlife! I'm more likely to see critters when I'm moving at running speed ... or just staying home.

What a lovely woodpecker! Back when our area was less developed, we'd occasionally see them in the trees or checking out the wood pile next to the driveway.

Rabbits, mostly. A red-tailed hawk, numerous red-winged blackbirds, and a couple snapping turtles. Oh, and geese.

[redrhodie]

I helped a baby snapping turtle cross the road today. I think it was an alligator turtle, but I looked them up and this is not their range. It definitely looked like one to me. It was all spiky.

[PamNY]

The clouds. That's the local phrase, as in "The mountain is out today.". There's a joke about how you can tell someone is a Seattleite if she can point to three different volcanoes without actually being able to see them through the cloud cover. Although summer here is actually really spectacular, clear and dry and sunny sometimes for weeks and weeks.

Ah, thanks. That makes sense.

Oak, great woodpecker photo.

Red, glad you rescued the snapper. I recently saw a mama snapper getting ready to lay eggs.

[malkin]

Ummm...out? Out of what?

Proudly waving a rainbow flag!

[goldfinch]

Saw a bobcat yesterday. Slight possibility it was a Canadian Lynx, the coloring and size fit with Lynx but the odds are with the bobcat.

[Desert Tortoise]

This morning saw a roadrunner with a juicy lizard hanging from its mouth. Watched him for a while (I was waiting for the cars to pass so I could turn left.) He looked so happy with his catch.

[Sky King]

We often see badgers but had to share this photo from our Owyhee Uplands trips. At the sighting, 4 of us were riding together, crossing a cattle guard, I was right behind someone on a fat bike and as I cross I hear the distinct rattle! So of course we have to stop and check it out. I wrote a huge "SNAKE" with an arrow to let riders behind us know. As we all filtered into camp that afternoon my DH says "snake?" I thought it said "snack"