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Sue
July 25th 03, 11:56 PM
In message >, Chris
Bardell > writes
>
>As far as in the UK, I've seen rabbits (millions of the suicidal
>buggers), hares (some HUGE, all very fast), deer (big one), deer
>(small one), deer (youngish version of a big one), foxes.
>
You generally see more wildlife on-road, f'rinstance a roe deer that was
browsing beside a road in Scotland, with a really tall red deer fence
between it and a plantation. When it saw us it took two bounds then
sprung vertically upwards to clear the fence in style.

Off road you mostly make too much noise and the wildlife's gone, but
once I was leading a CTC beginners ride and a muntjac stood about thirty
feet away watching ten or twelve people make heavy weather of some rooty
drops...
--
Sue ];(:)

lbockhed
July 26th 03, 01:39 AM
"Chris Bardell" > wrote in message
om...
> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
>

grew up in the forest of dean.....no in bred jokes please....... late 80s to
early 90s mountain bike mad

riding along one day heard "thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud", **** i
thought it was an earth quake, "thud thud thud", then suddenly a heard of
deer (roughly 20-25) came our of the woods and darted accross a
clearing......amazing.....kept looking them and rode into a tree

another experience was being chased by 2 badgers hissing at me, well scarey

Marc
July 26th 03, 01:50 AM
Chris Bardell > wrote:

>
> Frivolous thread as I say, but any nice animal-spots in the URC house?
Voles, hares, foxes, barn owl, Kestrel...

Tim Dunne
July 26th 03, 01:54 AM
Taken 2 weeks ago in the Tamworth area:

www.nervouscyclist.org/wildlife.htm

I also saw a badger (fully grown adult male) wandering about at 4pm on a
sunny afternoon in the middle of a road at Whitmoor Haye near lichfield 2
weeks previously. I was so stunned, I never reached for the camera...

Tim
--
Sent from Birmingham, UK... Check out www.nervouscyclist.org
'I find sometimes it's easy to be myself, but sometimes I find it's
better to be somebody else.' - Dave Matthews 'So Much To Say'
My 'reply to' address is valid, mail to the posting address is dumped

the Mark
July 26th 03, 02:19 AM
Marc wrote:
> Chris Bardell > wrote:
>
>>
>> Frivolous thread as I say, but any nice animal-spots in the URC
>> house?
> Voles, hares, foxes, barn owl, Kestrel...

One ride last Sunday I saw 2 kestrels appear to fight over territory, also
saw a heron at the same spot.
--
Mark
Road bike, Mountain bike and
I'm getting something special built for me (I hope it will arrive soon).

Gearóid Ó Laoi, Garry Lee
July 26th 03, 07:53 AM
I've seen rabbits, hares, foxes, badgers, owls, various birds of prey, a
mink, weasels, ferrets (the weasel is weasely identified whereas the stoat
is stoatally different) deer, and I saw Bald Eagles in Cape Breton Island.

Peter B
July 26th 03, 08:10 AM
"Sue" > wrote in message
...
> Off road you mostly make too much noise and the wildlife's gone, but
> once I was leading a CTC beginners ride and a muntjac stood about thirty
> feet away watching ten or twelve people make heavy weather of some rooty
> drops...

Not on the tamer sections.

I've seen owls, muntjac several times, an adder (or blimmin' big grass
snake) basking once, foxes <1> and all kinds of little furry running things.
Oh, and dead badgers aplenty.
And this is in well farmed land barely out of suburbia.
Occasionally, as in all good nature programmes, one encounters (strike out
"comes across") homosapiens engaged in procreation.

<1> I'm used to seeing urban foxes walking in our area (in fact we had to
get environmental health out last week to remove a dead one from under next
doors car) but am still impressed if I see one in the countryside.

Pete

StainlessSteelRat
July 26th 03, 08:51 AM
Peter B wrote:
>> Off road you mostly make too much noise and the wildlife's gone, but
>> once I was leading a CTC beginners ride and a muntjac stood about
>> thirty feet away watching ten or twelve people make heavy weather of
>> some rooty drops...
>
> Not on the tamer sections.
>
> I've seen owls, muntjac several times, an adder (or blimmin' big grass
> snake) basking once, foxes <1> and all kinds of little furry running
> things. Oh, and dead badgers aplenty.
<snip>

I've seen some live badgers, several adders (diamond shapes on their backs),
and deer etc.

I recently saw two young deer, and the male stopped a couple of meters away
from me. A Kodak moment, if I'd had a camera...


--
StainlessSteelRat
"I think you ought to know that I'm feeling very depressed."
-- Marvin

Dave
July 26th 03, 09:10 AM
"Chris Bardell" > wrote in message
om...
> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
>
<snip>

I've seen various, foxes, deer (cannock chase, difficult not to;-), badgers,
heron, kestrels, kites & buzzards, but my high spot was a golden eagle on my
E2E ride in March. It was on the Dumfries to Carlisle road. Just me on this
bloody great long road, looked up at some disturbance that I caught in my
peripheral vision to see it trying to land in a tree. Unfortunately it was
too big for the branches it had tried to land on and was leaping from one
branch to another as the branches were bending under its weight and it
realised they weren't strong enough to hold it. It found secure purchase
eventually. Certainly made my day and one of the high spots of the trip.....
Oh...and lots of sheep ;-)
4 years ago I went snowboarding in Whistler, Canada. Despite the notices
about bears and wild cats and word coming back that wildcats were eating
skiers on the east coast (not a bad thing ;-), the only wildlife I saw was
an American Bald Eagle whilst on the way back to the airport to come home. A
special moment :-)
Dave.
(Guess I must be daydreaming looking up in the sky all the time!!)

Taywood
July 26th 03, 09:35 AM
"Chris Bardell" > wrote in message
om...
> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
> I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who've been to exotic places &
> seen very rare animals - fire away.

In the doctors surgery one day being treated after yet another fall
off the bike he suggested he'd get me a discount to join his gym
where I could spin safely all day with others- with no falls.

I tried to explain that it was the great outdoors which held the thrill.
On my first ever outing on a proper mountainbike I rode around the
woods at Blair Atholl then set off up Glen Tilt. I rode round one bend
and faced two deer staring at each other, slowly I stopped but the
stopping caught their attention they looked curiously at me then parted
and wandered off up hill. A mile or so on rounding a bend I faced an
eagle tearing at the insides of a rabbit.
The doc admitted his noisy smelly gym couldnt match that!!
Mike

Andy P
July 26th 03, 09:39 AM
"lbockhed" > wrote

> grew up in the forest of dean.....no in bred jokes please....... late 80s
to
> early 90s mountain bike mad

Hey, I grew up in the Forest of Dean too (Parkend). Still go back there
quite a bit and know a few fine upstanding citizens who have seen large cats
out in the woods. And...uh...sheep.

Taywood
July 26th 03, 09:50 AM
One August I rode in the dark from GlenMore to Forest Lodge
and slept in the heather watching the stars circling. I woke early
and rode for hours.
On the way back to Aviemore mid morning I saw a large red
squirrel with a bushy white tail, then another and finally a third
as I neared Glenmore Lodge. It couldnt be the same one!

Intrigued I went to the Forest Office to ask. The local ladies
thought I was taking the mick, they lived there and they'd never
ever seen a squirrel with a white tail.
Finally they phoned a forest ranger who confirmed that they did
have squirrels who grew a white tail as they aged. He thought that
being older and more canny they stayed clear of walkers.

Mike

Danny Colyer
July 26th 03, 11:27 AM
On my regular commute along the rural section of the Bath-Bristol
cyclepath I've seen a few deer, foxes and small rodents. I also see a
lot of bunny rabbits and squirrels. One night I had a badger running
ahead of me for several yards, but the biggest treat was on two
occasions after dark seeing an owl flying along ahead of me.

Geraint's post reminded me that I used to see a lot of herons when
cycling on towpaths. But I regularly see a heron when I look out the
pub window on Friday lunchtimes, so that seems pretty commonplace to me
now.

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny )
Recumbent cycle page: http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

the Mark
July 26th 03, 12:34 PM
the Mark wrote:
> Marc wrote:
>> Chris Bardell > wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Frivolous thread as I say, but any nice animal-spots in the URC
>>> house?
>> Voles, hares, foxes, barn owl, Kestrel...
>
> One ride last Sunday I saw 2 kestrels appear to fight over territory,
> also saw a heron at the same spot.

And drifting away from cycling, while on holiday on Skye 2 weeks ago I saw a
fish jump in the sea, a few seconds later at the same spot an otter appeared
eating a fish. All this happened about 20 yards away from the front window
of the house we were staying in. An other day while watching the otter from
the shore through binoculars I saw about 5 porpoises swim past.
--
Mark
Road bike, Mountain bike and
I'm getting something special built for me (I hope it will arrive soon).

Mark van Gorkom
July 26th 03, 01:00 PM
Cycling through or (one and only) National Park in the dead of night,
on a new bike with little light on it yet, I ran into two groups of
wild boar. Managed to evade the first group, but had to make an
emergency stop for the second. There I was in a rather dark bit of
wood with these animals all around me, including young wich I've heard
they're quite protective about! Happily they where as startled as I
was, and moved on quickly.
Since I've had the Baron, I've had several buzzards fly alongside me
for a few minutes; seems it has just the right cruise speed for them
to practice their formation flying skills...
And rabbits, squirrels, sheep sleeping on the cycle path (not to be
awakened by any number of cyclists!) and a cow standing across the
path that just wouldn't budge; had to dismount and carry the bike
around it.

Mark van Gorkom.

Danny Colyer
July 26th 03, 01:13 PM
Geraint Jones wrote of seeing herons:
> I suppose you /can/ get used to that sort
> of thing although I am not sure I have yet.

Although I'm used to it and regard it as commonplace, I never tire of
it.

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny )
Recumbent cycle page: http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

congokid
July 26th 03, 03:57 PM
In article >, Geraint Jones
> writes

>Bath last weekend we were stopped astride our bikes watching a heron
>on the opposite bank of the Kennet and Avon. While we were there

I've seen herons stalking fish in the shallower parts of the Thames near
where I live (Fulham, or Chelsea environs, as the estate agent puts it).
On one occasion I was even on my bike, so it counts.

--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

Geoff Pearson
July 26th 03, 04:31 PM
"congokid" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, Geraint Jones
> > writes
>
> >Bath last weekend we were stopped astride our bikes watching a heron
> >on the opposite bank of the Kennet and Avon. While we were there
>
> I've seen herons stalking fish in the shallower parts of the Thames near
> where I live (Fulham, or Chelsea environs, as the estate agent puts it).
> On one occasion I was even on my bike, so it counts.
>
> --
> congokid
> Eating out in London? Read my tips...
> http://congokid.com
>

There are lots of herons here in Edinburgh, with some nesting in the Figgate
Park and along the Brunstane Burn (very populated areas) and the River Esk
in Musselburgh. They fly away if I am out running but hardly take any
notice if I am on my bike - as if I am not perceived as a threat on the
bike. On the bike I can get to within 5 yards before they get twitchy.

Tony W
July 26th 03, 05:05 PM
"Chris Bardell" > wrote in message
om...
> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
>
> I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who've been to exotic places &
> seen very rare animals - fire away.

Eagles soaring over the Rhine.

Weasels, stoats & mink in deepest Hertfordshire.

Roe dear in Surrey & Northamptonshire.

A snake (variety unknown) in Texas.

Several varieties of monkey, eagles, mongoose (I think) and a couple of
flavours of dear in India.

Camels, donkeys, bullocks & elephants -- all beasts of burden so perhaps
they don't count -- in India.

Dragonflies in Northamptonshire & India.

Storks in Germany, Morocco & India.

But my favourites are still the kamikaze baby bunnies who attempt to run
through my wheel each spring here in England.

T

Pete Barrett
July 26th 03, 05:46 PM
Herons, ducks, swans, grebes (well, one grebe), rabbits,voles, all on
or near the canals round here (West Midlands).

But the most interesting *action* I've seens was a few weeks ago on
the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, near Minworth (ie. just outside the
built up area), was a duck being hunted by an animal of some sort. The
animal was, from its shape, one of the stoat family - I think it was a
bit small for an otter, and perhaps a bit good on land (it
preferentially got out onto the bank to move quickly after the duck),
but it had that humped shape when when running, and I don't know
whether weasels or stoats swim. It would run along the bank to near
where the duck was, then slip into the water and swim after the bird.
The duck, being as intelligent as you would expect of a duck, quacked
up out of the water when it saw the animal approaching, flew a few
feet, and landed nearer a whole group of ducks and ducklings which
were a bit further along the canal, thus luring the animal towards the
whole pack (flock? what do ducks come in?). (On second thoughts, it
might have been a clever duck, trying to get the animal to leave it
and go after a duckling, which would probably have been easier for it
to catch, but the idea of a clever duck is quite frightening.)


Pete Barrett

David Nutter
July 26th 03, 05:58 PM
Pete Barrett > said:

> But the most interesting *action* I've seens was a few weeks ago on
> the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, near Minworth (ie. just outside the
> built up area), was a duck being hunted by an animal of some sort. The
> animal was, from its shape, one of the stoat family - I think it was a
> bit small for an otter, and perhaps a bit good on land (it
> preferentially got out onto the bank to move quickly after the duck),
> but it had that humped shape when when running, and I don't know
> whether weasels or stoats swim.

Sounds like a mink. They can certainly swim as my dog found out one day when
it ended up nose to nose with one when it was paddling in a stream near my
parents house some years ago. I suspect the mink was a bit miffed to find a
big mongrel drinking his swimming pool.

(http://www.nature.com/nsu/010308/010308-1.html if you can get it)

For myself I usually see bats and owls when cycling. I think I even ran into
a bat yesterday evening at the bottom of a long descent. Certainly the
impact on my face was a bit hefty (complete with meaty *thwock* noise) to be
a moth or other night insect and it didn't feel like a stone.

Worst of all my lid was no use at all. Fancy that... :)

Regards,

-david

Andy P
July 26th 03, 06:23 PM
"Geoff Pearson" > wrote

> There are lots of herons here in Edinburgh, with some nesting in the
Figgate
> Park and along the Brunstane Burn (very populated areas) and the River Esk
> in Musselburgh. They fly away if I am out running but hardly take any
> notice if I am on my bike - as if I am not perceived as a threat on the
> bike. On the bike I can get to within 5 yards before they get twitchy.

Yes, I find the same with deer on the edge of tracks in the Forest of Dean.
They very often just stand and watch undisturbed as I go by on the bike
quite close whereas if I'm walking they'll be off like a shot. Which is
ofcourse the exact opposite to the situation that the ill informed anti-bike
letters in the local papers like to represent in their bid to portray bikes
as a universal threat to all wildlife. I think this must be down to speed
of travel. If you're travelling by at a reasonable speed they can tell
you're not interested in them. I find I can run by without disturbing them
as well though so perhaps I run faster than you :-)

MSA
July 26th 03, 06:40 PM
<I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who've been to exotic places &
<seen very rare animals - fire away.




I saw an old dog once. Quite common in Essex though :-)


--
Mark

"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear
bright until you hear them speak"

Paul Kelly
July 26th 03, 08:56 PM
In ,
Andy P > typed:
> "Geoff Pearson" > wrote
>
>> There are lots of herons here in Edinburgh, with some nesting in the
>> Figgate Park and along the Brunstane Burn (very populated areas) and
>> the River Esk in Musselburgh. They fly away if I am out running but
>> hardly take any notice if I am on my bike - as if I am not perceived
>> as a threat on the bike. On the bike I can get to within 5 yards
>> before they get twitchy.
>
> Yes, I find the same with deer on the edge of tracks in the Forest of
> Dean. They very often just stand and watch undisturbed as I go by on
> the bike quite close whereas if I'm walking they'll be off like a
> shot.

Excatly the same in Ricmond Park. Quite scry someitmes cycling through
groups of fully antlered deer straddling the track. They just turn their
head and watch.

pk

Mike Gayler
July 27th 03, 10:13 AM
(Chris Bardell) writed in
om:

> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
>
Bats!
One of my most memorable cycling experiences was in the Isle of Wight, one
very hot summer (t'was the year le tour came to England).
I went out for a ride very late evening, and a group of bats started flying
above and alongside me - they stayed with me for about half an hour -
wierd!

Mike
Leicester

Sue
July 27th 03, 03:43 PM
In message >, Peter B
> writes
>
>Occasionally, as in all good nature programmes, one encounters (strike out
>"comes across") homosapiens engaged in procreation.
>
A few years ago we thought we'd watch the midsummer sunrise from the top
of Streatley Hill. We rode to the Bell, Aldworth and there spent as
much of the night as the landlord'd let us, then rode to the hilltop
with bivvy bags etc. As we passed through the first field our off-road
lights picked out the bouncing buttocks of a quite surprising number of
local residents.

--
Sue ];(:)

Just zis Guy, you know?
July 27th 03, 06:49 PM
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 15:43:53 +0100, Sue >
wrote:

>As we passed through the first field our off-road
>lights picked out the bouncing buttocks of a quite surprising number of
>local residents.

All training for the Hairy Legs Challenge? Thought not...

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony.
http://www.chapmancentral.com
[currently offline awaiting ADSL transfer to new ISP]

Paul
July 27th 03, 08:38 PM
I cycle a lot down on the Somerset Levels. I've seen lots of kestrels and
buzzards, herons, swans and assorted waterfowl and even a couple of
kingfishers. I've seen deer as well (although only from a distance) +
rabbits and the occassional hare and a teeny little stoat thing. I'm still
waiting to see an otter! They are about apparently but are very elusive.

The wildlife is one of the great pleasures of cycling, sadly a lot of it
ends up squished on the roads, badgers seem particularly prone.

Regards
Paul

zyro-pete
July 27th 03, 08:55 PM
I too have seen many types of birds and animals whilst out on the road
but i think the worst thing i've had to do was whilst riding home on
the back lanes near Markington, Harrogate i saw a young rabbit on the
road and it had just been hit by a car. but worst of all was that it
was still alive and both back legs were broken, the only option for the
sake of the rabbit was to put it out of it's misery and pain, but it
was not a task i would like to repeat unless i had to, no matter how
humane. I hope you won't have to go through an ordeal like this on your
travels.:( :(



--
>--------------------------<
Posted via cyclingforums.com
http://www.cyclingforums.com

M Series
July 27th 03, 09:17 PM
On my local rides I often see sheep (on the road), rabbits, kestrels,
partridges. Whilst touring Tasmania though I saw a couple of dead Tasmanian
Devils.


"Chris Bardell" > wrote in message
om...
> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
>
> I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who've been to exotic places &
> seen very rare animals - fire away.
>
> As far as in the UK, I've seen rabbits (millions of the suicidal
> buggers), hares (some HUGE, all very fast), deer (big one), deer
> (small one), deer (youngish version of a big one), foxes.
>
> Saw one deer (Hare Warren wood -?- near Wilton, Wiltshire). Beautiful
> thing - guessing a 'teenage' deer cos it was a big sod, but was still
> doing that 'tamping' (?) thing where it kicks its hind legs out &
> jumps about, just for the sheer fun of it. Saw me (150m+ away on the
> bike) & was GONE in under a second.
>
> Up here in Naaarf*ck last autumn I was going down a narrow lane one
> night with a car heading towards me, so I was keeping a close eye on
> the car. Across my vision went something huge & brilliant-white (got a
> fairly bright Cateye rechargeable headlight). Figured it was a barn or
> tawny owl. Just unfortunate timing cos oncoming car meant I couldn't
> follow it with my eyes (whatever it was).
>
> Frivolous thread as I say, but any nice animal-spots in the URC house?
> In the UK or abroad? Anyone seen the legendary / mythical 'big cats'
> in Norfolk or round Bodmin way?
>
> PS: with perfect timing I also saw a bull mounting a female cow as I
> rode by (Stratford-sub-Castle, nr. Salisbury). Naturally I shouted him
> some encouragement :-) Go on my son, etc.

Danny Colyer
July 27th 03, 09:23 PM
zyro-pete wrote:
> ... the only option for
> the sake of the rabbit was to put it out of it's misery and pain, but
> it was not a task i would like to repeat unless i had to

Well, you've earned my respect for managing to go through with it.

> I hope you won't have to go through an ordeal like this
> on your travels.:( :(

Me too. With the number of bunnies and squirrels I come across I often
think that this is something I might have to do some day, but thankfully
I haven't had to do it yet.

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny )
Recumbent cycle page: http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

NIGEL
July 28th 03, 08:57 AM
I have had a few close encounters, but none as close as last
week..happily whizzing along at good 25mph on the way to the
station(6.30am), when all of sudden a pheasant flew out the hedge and
I headbutted the bloodly thing...I don't who was more shocked. Luckly
the bird seemed unharmed, after gathering itself it took off
again....should I change my helmet, does bird stike rate as damage to
a helmet?


(Chris Bardell) wrote in message >...
> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
>
> I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who've been to exotic places &
> seen very rare animals - fire away.
>
> As far as in the UK, I've seen rabbits (millions of the suicidal
> buggers), hares (some HUGE, all very fast), deer (big one), deer
> (small one), deer (youngish version of a big one), foxes.
>
> Saw one deer (Hare Warren wood -?- near Wilton, Wiltshire). Beautiful
> thing - guessing a 'teenage' deer cos it was a big sod, but was still
> doing that 'tamping' (?) thing where it kicks its hind legs out &
> jumps about, just for the sheer fun of it. Saw me (150m+ away on the
> bike) & was GONE in under a second.
>
> Up here in Naaarf*ck last autumn I was going down a narrow lane one
> night with a car heading towards me, so I was keeping a close eye on
> the car. Across my vision went something huge & brilliant-white (got a
> fairly bright Cateye rechargeable headlight). Figured it was a barn or
> tawny owl. Just unfortunate timing cos oncoming car meant I couldn't
> follow it with my eyes (whatever it was).
>
> Frivolous thread as I say, but any nice animal-spots in the URC house?
> In the UK or abroad? Anyone seen the legendary / mythical 'big cats'
> in Norfolk or round Bodmin way?
>
> PS: with perfect timing I also saw a bull mounting a female cow as I
> rode by (Stratford-sub-Castle, nr. Salisbury). Naturally I shouted him
> some encouragement :-) Go on my son, etc.

Henry Braun
July 28th 03, 10:09 AM
On Sat, 26 Jul 2003, Andrew Sweetman wrote:
> round here (cotswolds) - Badgers (~8 a year), Foxes, Fallow Deer, Roe Deer,
> Muntjac, Stoats, Weasels, Hedgehog, Hares, small critters
> (shrews/mice/voles), Grass Snake, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Little Owl,
> Short-eared Owl, Sparrowhawks (sometimes chasing them down the lane), Red
> Kite....

There's voles and voles. F'rexample, meeting the water vole or genuine
Ratty on the Oxford canal towpath by the A44 was quite a treat.

robbiew
July 28th 03, 12:26 PM
Dolphins.

Couple of weeks ago whilst going through Dundee a couple of dolphins in
the Firth of Tay about 25m from shore. Quite exotic, even for Dundee.



--
>--------------------------<
Posted via cyclingforums.com
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Dave Larrington
July 28th 03, 12:28 PM
Bunnies almost anywhere rural. Muntjac and grass snake up the River Lea
towpath, a kamikaze hedgehog, urban foxes without number, a red squirrel
with a death wish in Cumbria, a family of stoats or weasels capering in the
infield during a BHPC race meeting at Darley Moor in Derbyshire, badger in
the woods nearly the RHS garden in Wisley, lotsa bats on the Dunwich Dynamo
and the famous Epping Forest cows wandering up the Leytonstone High Road.

Not wild, but unusual - a field full of ostriches and a llama, both in
Denmark.

And herons. Lots of herons.

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

Kit Wolf
July 28th 03, 04:18 PM
A family of badgers scurrying up & away from a randonee in France
A fox running down the road for a hundred yards on a road near Yetholm
A red squirrel
A barn owl swooped in front of me
A red kite only a foot or three above my head
An albino pet rabbit. I don't know how long ago it had escaped, but it
still had quite a good turn of speed so seemed healthy enough.

KW

congokid
July 28th 03, 08:19 PM
In article >, M Series
> writes
>On my local rides I often see sheep (on the road), rabbits, kestrels,
>partridges. Whilst touring Tasmania though I saw a couple of dead Tasmanian
>Devils.

How about this?!

Huge seals basking on a rock, bald eagles circling overhead and enormous
purple and orange starfish in the shallows.

Oh, wait. It was off Vancouver Island. And I was in a canoe.

--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

Velvet
July 28th 03, 09:57 PM
Jim Price wrote:
> Chris Bardell wrote:
>
>> PS: with perfect timing
>
>
> With rather less than perfect timing the first animals I have noticed
> for a while (a dog) jumped out in front of me on the canal towpath this
> evening. My bike turns out not to be suitable for the superman position.
> We both survive to do our respective things in future, although one of
> the things I'll be doing is observing the holes in my thumb, arm and leg
> heal up.
>
Saw an adder on the road as we cycled past en route to a bbq a few weeks
ago. Completely motionless, but with head upright and mouth slightly
open. Wasn't till I was past that I realised that head was pointing at
my ankle as it went flashing past the adder...

Velvet

Sue
July 31st 03, 08:02 PM
Driving near Watlington yesterday, I saw a red kite hanging low above
the road, apparently waiting for something to die.
A roadie coming the other way was oblivious of it - and possibly happier
that way...
--
Sue ];(:)

Prometheus
July 31st 03, 08:15 PM
"Chris Bardell" > wrote in message
om...
> OK, a pretty frivolous thread, but I've enjoyed seeing various animals
> while out & about since I started cycling again.
>
> I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who've been to exotic places &
> seen very rare animals - fire away.
>
> As far as in the UK, I've seen rabbits (millions of the suicidal
> buggers), hares (some HUGE, all very fast), deer (big one), deer
> (small one), deer (youngish version of a big one), foxes.
>
> Saw one deer (Hare Warren wood -?- near Wilton, Wiltshire). Beautiful
> thing - guessing a 'teenage' deer cos it was a big sod, but was still
> doing that 'tamping' (?) thing where it kicks its hind legs out &
> jumps about, just for the sheer fun of it. Saw me (150m+ away on the
> bike) & was GONE in under a second.
>
> Up here in Naaarf*ck last autumn I was going down a narrow lane one
> night with a car heading towards me, so I was keeping a close eye on
> the car. Across my vision went something huge & brilliant-white (got a
> fairly bright Cateye rechargeable headlight). Figured it was a barn or
> tawny owl. Just unfortunate timing cos oncoming car meant I couldn't
> follow it with my eyes (whatever it was).
>
> Frivolous thread as I say, but any nice animal-spots in the URC house?
> In the UK or abroad? Anyone seen the legendary / mythical 'big cats'
> in Norfolk or round Bodmin way?
>
> PS: with perfect timing I also saw a bull mounting a female cow as I
> rode by (Stratford-sub-Castle, nr. Salisbury). Naturally I shouted him
> some encouragement :-) Go on my son, etc.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado
Grizzly Bear (way off in the distance) in Glacier National Park, Montana.
Bottlenose Dolphin from the Pacific Coast Highway (old route 1) in Santa
Barbara California
Diamondback rattlesnake whilst in Moab Utah
6" yellow banana slug in Sequioa National park
Black bear in Cape Breton Highlands, Novia Scotia
and last but not least.......a real live beaver in Andover, Massachusetts.

(Plus a gaggle of other more commont critters like dogs, deer, cats, and
unsavory drivers)

Ivor Cave
July 31st 03, 10:18 PM
Saw a terrapin in barking park boating lake this week.
Also there were two goldfish last week but I think the cormarant would have
had them for a light breakfast by now.

Ivor Cave

RJ Webb
August 1st 03, 09:26 AM
On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 09:50:40 +0100, "Taywood" >
wrote:

>One August I rode in the dark from GlenMore to Forest Lodge
>and slept in the heather watching the stars circling. I woke early
>and rode for hours.
>On the way back to Aviemore mid morning I saw a large red
>squirrel with a bushy white tail, then another and finally a third
>as I neared Glenmore Lodge. It couldnt be the same one!
>
>Intrigued I went to the Forest Office to ask. The local ladies
>thought I was taking the mick, they lived there and they'd never
>ever seen a squirrel with a white tail.
>Finally they phoned a forest ranger who confirmed that they did
>have squirrels who grew a white tail as they aged. He thought that
>being older and more canny they stayed clear of walkers.

Saw a white tailed squirrel near Forres on Monday.. Thought it was
unusual, and am pleasantly surprised to see the phenomonon turn up
here.

Sadly I was not on my bike at the time. Must take my bike up there -
great looking roads.

Richard Webb

RJ Webb
August 1st 03, 09:26 AM
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 20:19:50 +0100, congokid >
wrote:

>In article >, M Series
> writes
>>On my local rides I often see sheep (on the road), rabbits, kestrels,
>>partridges. Whilst touring Tasmania though I saw a couple of dead Tasmanian
>>Devils.
>
>How about this?!
>
>Huge seals basking on a rock, bald eagles circling overhead and enormous
>purple and orange starfish in the shallows.
>
>Oh, wait. It was off Vancouver Island. And I was in a canoe.


Cyclists wanting a similar experience should consider a trip on the
Port Hardy(Vancouver Island) - Bella Coola (up a fjord) Ferry. Now
that is a wildlife spectacular. Its a car ferry, but they stop for
whales. A very cost effective whale watching option. Plenty of bald
eagles in Bella Coola (and bears)

Richard Webb

RJ Webb
August 1st 03, 09:26 AM
>My theme this month seems to be Green Woodpeckers. Cant seem to ride without
>seeing one at the moment (Brighton area)
>
>Stan Cox
>
>
It can be fun counting the number of singing yellowhammers - cycling
takes you deep into prime yellowhammer country - they like hedgerows
and tend to sing from exposed places and are, well, yellow - not hard
to miss. (How they have not been wiped out by sparrowhawks I dont
know, perhaps they are toxic)

Another cycling favourite are bullfinches.

Saw a golden eagle once while mending a puncture in Glen Roy.

Richard Webb

congokid
August 1st 03, 06:50 PM
In article >, RJ Webb
> writes

>Cyclists wanting a similar experience should consider a trip on the
>Port Hardy(Vancouver Island) - Bella Coola (up a fjord) Ferry. Now
>that is a wildlife spectacular. Its a car ferry, but they stop for
>whales. A very cost effective whale watching option. Plenty of bald
>eagles in Bella Coola (and bears)

I was on the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island ferry. It would have been nice to
have a bike to explore both islands. Maybe I'll return someday.

--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

m a t t
August 1st 03, 07:00 PM
Sue wrote
> Driving near Watlington yesterday, I saw a red kite hanging low above
> the road, apparently waiting for something to die.
> A roadie coming the other way was oblivious of it - and possibly happier
> that way...

My best red kite sightings in the Chilterns have always been from a bike -
perhaps it's because I look like I'm about to become carrion as I haul
myself up the hills. Couple of days ago, near the windmill at Turville, saw
4 of them together - just as I rounded that particularly steep corner ... I
guess they know its a good place to tuck into an expired roadie - yum.

I've also had an owl fly along beside me (well, less than 20yds away), and a
kingfisher, by the Thames at Henley.

A pair of fox cubs saw me approaching up a hill towards them, ran away, then
came back for a second look.

I can also recommend the butterflies in the Alps, of which I get a fantastic
view as a fly by at nearly 5mph on my way up some interminable mountain
pass. I've even had them land on my legs while I'm cycling (do they like
salt? wouldn't they prefer fruit? perhaps I should cover myself in jam, in
an attempt to get butterfly assistance during long climbs :-)

Weirdest was a huge snake [--- T H I S B I G ---] that decided to cross
the road in front of me as I was hurtling down a hill in the Sierra Nevada
(Southern Spain). In the brief moment available for me to react, I managed
to do ... precisely nothing - other than wonder (very quickly) if the snake
would rear-up defensively, and attempt to bite my ankles. Perhaps I managed
to unweight the bike a little in a feeble baby-bunny-hop, but I felt the
poor creature meet my tyres. Slowing down, I glimpsed behind (to check I
wasn't being pursued :-) to see the snake completing its journey across the
road. Hope it was OK. The unexpected adrenalin rush certainly kept me going
up the next hill.

Prometheus wrote:
> Black bear in Cape Breton Highlands, Novia Scotia
> and last but not least.......a real live beaver in Andover, Massachusetts.

I've never seen a beaver from my bike.

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