What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[Tuckervill]

I see nutria a lot. There's one who lives in the falling down shed in my side-neighbor's back yard. It ho-hums around even when the dog is barking at it through the fence, but when I walk close he scampers off. There's a section of Sager Creek in my town where I can always see one hanging out. They are supposed to be nocturnal, but I see them often in the daytime.

They are also a pest, destroying wetland (although I don't know exactly how). They look like a cross between a beaver and a possum.

[margo49]

Yeah we have that nutria. I thought name nutria was a hebrew one so I translated it as otter. This is an English name which seemed to be what I was looking at from descriptions in British Imperialist books I read in my 1960's New Zealand childhood. Are you sure it is related to the possum?

[Tuckervill]

I don't think it's related to the possum. Its tail just looks like a possum's when it's wet. Looking at the tail is how I distinguish it from a beaver when I see it. We have beavers, too, but I never see them on my rides.

Karen

[Geonz]

If I remember right from my Wildlife major days (Wildlife and Fisheries, not the other kind :-)) it is 'way closer to beaver than anything else.

I always figured my Giant Nutra was sort of named after it. I know I resemble a plastered possum when it's raining...

[margo49]

Oh Tuckervill, none of us look our best when our tail is wet!!

[Tuckervill]

Speak for yourself. :::snicker:::

Karen

[Tuckervill]

My son and I encountered a deer at Devil's Den a couple of times. Strangely enough it didn't run away, but just watched us go by, and it was still in the vicinity when we came back through. We did stop and watch it for a while. It was twitchy, but unconcerned.

And then there was the time that the turkey flew up in front of him. That's why he lets me lead all the time, now.

Karen

[Aggie_Ama]

The other day a saw a roadrunner (beep beep) and a baby miniature donkey. The donkey was so cute!

I forgot on the Tri County Hill Hopper the last two years we have seen some guineas (birds). That is an interesting one.