What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[salsabike]

Inspired partly by Nanci's eagle cam post (for another, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildwatch/eaglecam/) and partly by a thread I once saw on BikeForums:

On our rides on the Sammamish River Trail, we see Great Blue Herons, bald eagles, various hawks, bufflehead and merganser ducks, kingfishers, coots, mallards of course, cormorants, the occasional river otter and babies, and lately an osprey. What do you guys see?

(Another favorite BikeForums thread, by the way, was "What's the biggest bug you ever ate?" As one who rides breathing through her mouth often, I'm sure that thread will be relevant to me at some point).

[tattiefritter]

On my old commute I used to regularly see rabbits (why do baby rabbits insist on darting right in front of you?) and the odd deer, which was lovely. My commute now is down a main road on the way in, any wildlife I see is mainly roadkill. On the way home its more rural, so in the last two times i've seen pheasant, squirrels, lambs (aww!), cows and lots of birds.

Out on MTB day rides it is predominantly sheep, especially in the Lake District, and other farm animals, as well as swans, ducks and lots of other birds that I don't know the name of but are striking enough to point out. On nights rides I've come across and owl and a badger (and lots of other shining eyes belonging to who knows what).

[uk elephant]

On Tuesday afternoon, I saw lots of phesants on my ride around the countryside. Big males in glorious colours. Beautiful! On other rides, I have also seen a heron. I always see tons of birds of various kinds, but unfortunately don't know enough to identify most of them. Typically the list includes ducks (several species), swans (at least a couple of species), merehens, robins (European, not American ones), seaguls, pigeons, blackbirds, magpies, and crows. I've counted at least 10 species in one day, just on my little 2.5 mile ride from the station to where my office is.

I always see lots of rabits and hares, and of course the usual sheep, cows and horses. And I have seen a water vole run across the trail once.

so far my most exciting observations have been the heron, the phesants and the black swans....and of course the vole (as I'm doing my PhD on voles).

[Tater]

Now that the weather has gotten warmer, I see a lot of ground squirrles (whistle pigs, as they are known in these parts), American robins, house finches, hawks, an occassional golden eagle, antelope and deer. I am sure this list will expand as the days get warmer and longer.

[DebW]

I see occassional deer and turkey on my commute to work. Weasel, muskrat, and beaver on occassion if I'm cycling by wetlands. There was a barred owl living in my neighborhood a couple year ago. I saw it once as it flew in front of my when I was riding. It landed in a tree 10 feet from the road, so I stopped. We looked at each other for about a minute, then it flew off. I used to bird watch by bike so much that I'm amazed I never ran off the road.

[JLD]

Ah! A subject favourite to me! Sometimes I think I ride Just to see the non urban.....Last year I saw a bobcat!............Often enough deer.....the occasional fox..........At night I haven't seen a skunk but I sure know one is nearby! And I have heard an owl. By day, the best was a marsh hawk. There are Many kind of geese and duck here-mallard, teal, Canada goose, small hawks, mergansers, woodpeckers, kingfisher, once a snow goose.

[JLD]

Of bugs...well.....the no see-ums get bad here in the spring--and by the water, shad flies fly into the face--but--I haven't 'eaten' one yet! I have been stung by mozzies though---and once a wasp got me good-Ouch!
But does anyone have to worry about loose dogs?
I am careful on paths that have a lot of chipmunk traffic and squirrels. Stopped the bike on a dime once to avoid a snake crossing the path.

[yellow]

Well, today I saw my very fat cat lounging on the dog bed next to my trainer.

[Blueberry]

Your cat looks almost exactly like mine - same coloring - different color eyes.

I see lots of deer, surprised an opossum on a night ride once. Many squirrels and lots of baby bunnies recently...

Carrie Anne

[yellow]

Your cat looks almost exactly like mine - same coloring - different color eyes.

Ummmm...yours is THINNER! The vet told me I need to make her exercise. Yeah, right. She's not leash trained and when you start playing with her, she just lays on her back and bats at whatever you're dangling in front of her. It's perplexing to me as she used to be an outdoor-only, in-shape cat. I think she likes this indoor livin'! (And yes, she is on "light" cat food!)

[Blueberry]

Ummmm...yours is THINNER! The vet told me I need to make her exercise. Yeah, right. She's not leash trained and when you start playing with her, she just lays on her back and bats at whatever you're dangling in front of her. It's perplexing to me as she used to be an outdoor-only, in-shape cat. I think she likes this indoor livin'! (And yes, she is on "light" cat food!)

Mine is just in a flattering pose

She looks just like she swallowed a bowling ball She has a heart murmur, so she can't exercise much (haven't figured out how you exercise a cat either - umm...kitty treadmill ). My other cat is the really overweight one - I tried to exercise him, but he bites the toy and hangs on. Chase that - who me?! He does beat up the 85 lb golden retriever year old "puppy" we have, though...

[CorsairMac]

Mine is just in a flattering pose

Love that line!! Next time someone wants to take my picture I'm gonna tell em Only if it's a flattering pose!!

let me see: quail, sandhill cranes, roadrunners, bald eagle, blue herons, geese, pheasant, ducks, snakes, various and sundry birds. that's all I can think of right now

[makbike]

CA in NC and Yellow have you tried a laser pointer? I have seven cats and it by far is their favorite toy and gets them moving! I'm sure your vets have given you the speech about obesity and the health issues (diabetes, heart disease, joint issues, etc) associated with it in cats and dogs so I will spare you (I'm not a vet but have worked as an assistant for over 10 years and have seen the effects first hand). Love your furry buddies for they are wonderful gifts which have been bestowed upon you.

Marcie

[makbike]

Okay, now for what I see and enjoy when I ride: Red Tail Hawks, Vultures, Red Fox, Bison (not wild but still very cool to ride past), beautiful horses (I live in horse country) lots of cows, goats, birds (warblers, thrushes, red wing blackbirds, meadow larks, etc), deer, turkey, chipmunks, gophers, snakes, lizards, frogs (typically don't see them but love to listen to them sing), lots of insects, and the list goes on and on.

[yellow]

CA in NC and Yellow have you tried a laser pointer?

Oh, yeah. "What's that? That's interesting."

The dog, however, goes absolutely batty over it. It's called "The Dot" and when you say those words...oh boy.