What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[Trekhawk]

I got very lucky with hawks today -- the juvenile (brown tail) was perched in an unusually low spot, so easy to photograph. The adult is a female who should lay eggs soon. I think she looks very thoughtful about the whole situation.

Wonderful snaps Pam!
The hawks are beautiful.

[Trek-chick]

Snapping Turtle!!

[IMG][/IMG]

[Catrin]

I saw 13 deer on a short 1:10 ride late yesterday afternoon! Considering I was riding loops in a large park it is probable that there was at least some double-counting, but still It is, of course, easier to see them before the leaves return, but they do blend in with their surroundings - all of that brown. They all appeared to be quite young, probably all born last year.

One sighting was interesting. I watched her run up to the road - then she stopped, walked across the pavement, then started running again when her feet hit the grass. It was like she was remembering deer-road-crossing school instructions

[malkin]

The usual ducks and geese, a Cooper's Hawk (unusual for downtown), a blue jay (don't usually see them downtown either), and a guy unconscious with his legs akimbo over a ramp at the back of Domino's Pizza.

Brewer didn't see him, but he turned the tandem around to go back; I guess he knew by listening to me that we had to.

We shouted at him; the guy moved a little bit (quite a relief to see that he wasn't dead!), but was unresponsive with his cell phone on the ground next to him. Called 911 and everyone came, ambulance, police, fire truck and then we left and finished our ride.

Glad that doesn't happen very often.

[PamNY]

Ooh, the turtle is gorgeous. Was he heading across the road (I hope not)?

Catrin, I have seen deer do what your describe. Always makes me wonder what, if anything, they understand about cars.

Malkin, I am hearing more and more about Cooper's in urban areas. Don't know if it's coincidence, or if they are moving into cities due to lack of habitat.

[Duck on Wheels]

Lately I've been walking/jogging more than biking, carrying my camera kit (makes for several pounds of extra excercize weight, totes my water bottle, and gives me an excuse to stop and catch my breath now and then), and watching out for birds. In the past couple of weeks I've got photos of three different bird species going through their mating rituals - American kestrel, Red-shouldered hawk, and Canada goose. Seeing a bobcat in broad daylight when on a hike with my husband back in November was at least equally thrilling, but my photos of it weren't so great.

[emily_in_nc]

We always see a lot of birds. Yesterday two huge crows swooped down and came a few feet from my DH's head. Kinda freakish, as I watched from 10 feet or so back. Also a nice large turtle in a creek was sunning himself on a log. Signs of spring!

[Trek-chick]

Ooh, the turtle is gorgeous. Was he heading across the road (I hope not)?

Catrin, I have seen deer do what your describe. Always makes me wonder what, if anything, they understand about cars.

Malkin, I am hearing more and more about Cooper's in urban areas. Don't know if it's coincidence, or if they are moving into cities due to lack of habitat.

I saw the turtle on the MUP so, he was "safe" --no cars just peds. and cyclists.

[azfiddle]

As I was climbing slowly the slopes of Mount Lemmon (outside Tucson) I had a wonderful glimpse of a Rock Wren perched on a rock (naturally!) and heard a Canyon Wren's descending whistle just a little further on. I heard, but did not see. some migrating Brewer's Sparrows, and resident Black-throated Sparrows, House Finches and Lesser Goldfinches. There were also a few Common Ravens soaring overhead.

[isconniethere]

These two guys are on my ride. They always come over to check me out!

[drgynfyr]

depends what area i'm riding in usually iguanas, gerbils, snakes, lizards
or hermit crabs and alligators and turtles

[PamNY]

depends what area i'm riding in usually iguanas, gerbils, snakes, lizards
or hermit crabs and alligators and turtles

Gerbils?

[drgynfyr]

yep, it was a gerbil

Only thing i could think of was someone let their pet go in there in the park.

Was sooo cute.

[audreytatou]

I saw a mob of about 30 kangaroos the other day. They looked so beautiful, all just relaxing close to the tress, wonderful!

[PamNY]

Oooh, kangaroos! How do they react to humans?

Australian wildlife sounds so wonderful. We were just discussing butcher birds, bower birds and lyre birds on the Hornby Eagle chat.