What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[PamNY]

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"

Wow, that's a great photo. Did your husband find a snack?

Desert, the roadrunner with his lizard meal must have been a funny sight.

[Desert Tortoise]

Got to see a family of baby quail crossing the road today. The babies (about 10) were no longer covered in down but were still very small. Usually around this time of year they are not so tiny. Or maybe its just the ones in my neighborhood.

They were so cute running across the road almost single file then scattering in the brush.

The next family I saw was definitely bigger. The "little ones" looked just a little smaller than the adults and they too behaved a little scattered like the babies.

[Artista]

We encountered this cranky fella on trail this morning. People were trapped on either side of this guy and no one could safely pass.

It was a good thing that someone else saw him and stopped, which alerted my husband that something was up so he also stopped. I never would have seen him while I was riding. I was alerted to his presence while still many yards away, stopped about 20 ft. from him, and still had trouble distinguishing him from the rocks for a few seconds.

After unsuccessfully trying to shoo him off the trail by tossing rocks and sticks near him, two riders managed to nudge him off the trail by pushing their bikes beside him. He protested with a few strikes at tires but finally relented and moved on.

[Desert Tortoise]

Artista, that rattler looked beefy! It's good he was spotted at a distance, they are nothing to mess with. (I've had a few close encounters with them.)

On the trails we've used our bottles to squirt water at the rattler. He didn't like it and made it well known but it did keep us at a safe distance. BUT, we did make sure we had enough water to do this. Don't want to run out of water on a hot, open trail.

Nice pic!

[Artista]

Good hint about the water, DT. Fortunately, this rattler was much more scared than aggressive. The snake struck at, (but didn't hit), the rider who was stopped when my husband encountered him. After that, the snake remained coiled and kept rattling but didn't even strike at the rocks or sticks tossed near him. He didn't start striking again until a couple of riders used their bikes to get him off the trail. We would have left the snake alone if not for the concern that unsuspecting hikers/runners could stumble upon him and get bitten. Unsuspecting cyclists would probably have been safer as a snake is more likely to strike at the bike than a body part. Hikers/runners may not have been so lucky.

Next time, (if there IS a next time), I'll get my water bottle out right away just in case.

[solobiker]

We encountered this cranky fella on trail this morning. People were trapped on either side of this guy and no one could safely pass.

It was a good thing that someone else saw him and stopped, which alerted my husband that something was up so he also stopped. I never would have seen him while I was riding. I was alerted to his presence while still many yards away, stopped about 20 ft. from him, and still had trouble distinguishing him from the rocks for a few seconds.

After unsuccessfully trying to shoo him off the trail by tossing rocks and sticks near him, two riders managed to nudge him off the trail by pushing their bikes beside him. He protested with a few strikes at tires but finally relented and moved on.

Yikes!! I should probably warn you...I am a snake magnet. I am not fond of snakes and I think that they know that because I seem to find them a lot when DH and I are out either hiking, biking, climbing..etc. I hope when we meet up to ride we don't run into one.

[Artista]

Yikes!! I should probably warn you...I am a snake magnet. I am not fond of snakes and I think that they know that because I seem to find them a lot when DH and I are out either hiking, biking, climbing..etc. I hope when we meet up to ride we don't run into one.

Hmmm...you wanna lead on our ride

[solobiker]

Hmmmmmm, thanks....I think I will pass. I better get back out on my bike..have not ridden in a few weeks. We have been too busy with hiking and next week we hope to take the kayaks out.

[Artista]

Hmmmmmm, thanks....I think I will pass. I better get back out on my bike..have not ridden in a few weeks. We have been too busy with hiking and next week we hope to take the kayaks out.

Alright, I'll take one for the team

[goldfinch]

Day before yesterday we say a mink chase a rabbit. We moved many turtles off the middle of the road.

Today a good size snapping turtle was on the road, we left him alone.

[PamNY]

Baby barn swallows! The nests are underneath a pier, so I can't get adorable four-baby-gapes-in-a-row photos, but I had some fun after they fledged:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8867349...7630322730678/

[Desert Tortoise]

Little bunnies are nothing new around here, there seems to be an explosion of them. But today was funny. There was a little junior size bunny trying to pull out a tender root from the dirt. He pulled and tugged, I've never seen a rabbit work so hard! He was still at it by the time I passed him.

The other thing is not what wildlife I saw but the results of what was out there. The cattle have been busy on the road. They turned the bike lane into an obstacle course with their cow patties.

[HillSlugger]

On Sunday I saw a wild turkey!

[sashadieken]

My friend and I went kayaking for the first time and saw a cow/calf moose pair!

[salsabike]

Baby barn swallows! The nests are underneath a pier, so I can't get adorable four-baby-gapes-in-a-row photos, but I had some fun after they fledged:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8867349...7630322730678/

Those are wonderful!