Wildlife spots whilst on your bike...

[Pupp]

Something about bikes that gets you up close and personal with critters

Tonight's list to get you going..

Barn owl
Large unidentified raptor (not a buzzard or kite; not quite that big - straight flat tail)
Muntjac
Fallow stag with full antlers (very close, head on, on a woodland trail )

[FactoryBacked]

I saw a snake at Llandegla trail centre.

First time I've ever seen a snake in the wild in the UK and somehow the Mrs managed to run over it!

[Justin S]

Greenham Common is our local spot and we have seen many snakes, in fact we named one trail adder avenue after seeing one squashed. Muntjack deer if your quiet and then they dont move when close. Saw a big deer in the under growth, literally 10 feet away. Big beady eyes and wet nose just watching us was fab to see so close.
We also did a dusk ride locally and an owl of some description just dropped from a tree and stretched his wings , just enough to miss my mates crash hat by just a couple of feet was really impressive. He was a big bird, never knew they were that big.
Seen a large bird of prey in Coed Y Brenin woodland on a weekend away. Not sure what he was, but he had a good 5ft wingspan when he glided out the tree .
My nearest wildlife spot, was going on a fast descent and hitting a badger that came out the undergrowth on a night ride. He buggered off leaving me with a pretzled wheel, smashed helmet and broken ribs.......... Anyone ask how the badger was , I will scream !!!

[ben_h100]

A couple of years ago I was on my road bike on a country road near Lyneham, when a deer appeared in the field next to me and started running alongside. It then ran out onto the road right in front of me and sprang off into another field. Was pretty amazing!

[JuniorD]

The only remarkable spots I routinely see here are buzzards.

[benny.c]

At night I see plenty of owls and foxes, and I regularly get dive-bombed by bats. The other day a badger ran in front of me for a few minutes which was entertaining.

[Johnny]

Ran a snake over going round Grafham Water on the 'crosser a few weeks ago. Thought is was a stick until I got too close to do anything but run it over... Moved pretty sharpish after that!

[NitroNick]

A few months ago I encountered a mountain lion on a desert road in Arizona. It scared the st out of me (apparently a cyclist was killed by one a few years ago over here).
Have seen lots of lizards, praying mantis, buzzards, eagles, wild boar, wild horses.
Lots and lots of coyotes, almost hit one on the bike.

[Johnny]

Sounds like fun Nick!

Reminded me of nearly riding into a Black Bear when MTBing in Whislter a few years ago! Seeing just how angry you make a bear when hitting it at speed is not something I want to do...

Not that I'm going to have to worry about it too much in rural Cambridgeshire

[SkinnyBoy]

Kangaroos wombats and lots of bitey stingy things on moat rides here in Oz. had to dodge a big grey roo last Sunday when he decided to hop across the track as I'm flying down it.

[BMWBen]

Deer, lots of deer. Every day without fail

[Rob_T]

Wallabies
Barn owls
Red kites
Deer
Muntjacs
Usual pheasants, wide range of rodents,cows sheep and horses!

[count duckula]

In south Oxfordshire I regularly see

Badgers
Foxs
Woodpeckers
Barn owls
Deer
Red kites
Rabbits

Got up close and personal with a full size deer earlier in the year, ended up with it trapped under me and the bike, it was a bit wobbly after I got off of it, but ran off ok.

I want to see a snake now.

[IroningMan]

ben_h100 said:

A couple of years ago I was on my road bike on a country road near Lyneham, when a deer appeared in the field next to me and started running alongside. It then ran out onto the road right in front of me and sprang off into another field. Was pretty amazing!

Ditto - winter morning ride year before last, deer jumped the hedge on my right and paced me along the road for a hundred yards or so: it made a couple of dummies to the left before I had the sense to slow right down and let it go on its way.

[Mr E]

The usual buzzards and deer. The only time I've ever seen an adder was on a bike.

I've also hit a cow that made its way onto the trail. Cow was fine. I was a bit sore....
...big things cows

[madbadger]

Normally see up to 4 hares on my ride to work. Loads of rabbits and pheasants.

Rarer spots are deer, stoats and water voles.

Highlight was a family of weasels once in the morning then one of them on the way home in the evening..

[tuffer]

Salisbury Plain on my doorstep:
Kites
Buzzards
Deer (lots)
Owls
Hawks
Weasels
Badgers
Foxes

Hoping to see a Great Bustard at some point.

[anonymous-user]

saw loads of stuff yesterday, aside from the middle aged couple in the back seat of the Renault Clio fumbling with each others clothing, there were foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, rabbits.... unfortunately aside from aforementioned couple in Clio, it was all classed under the file "road kill".

[BoRED S2upid]

I saw a couple doing it over a style facing the road. I was about 12 at the time out on a ride with my dad, it was never mentioned.

[louiebaby]

One of my favourite rides is the Giraffe, Deer, Womble and Dinosaur tour.

It takes in Regents Park, where if you're lucky you might get to see a Giraffe from the road as you go "through" London Zoo, then Deer in Richmond Park, Wombles on Wimbledon Common, and the old concrete dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park, which you can just see from the road too...