Unusual wildlife encounters whilst cycling

[Shut Up Legs]

This one is perhaps not unusual in certain parts of Australia, but it probably occurs rarely enough to surprise people:
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...k/news-story/002012fccc21e98b3ce8ce0e50cef918
By the way, the article is about another kangaroo, but there's a video near the top of the article, which is the one I've mentioned above.

 

[Moodyman]

That roo looks like he's been working out.

 

[Drago]

Strewth, he's well ripped! Jean Claud Van Roo.

 

[Welsh wheels]

Looks like a kangaroo bodybuilding contest, except the kangaroos are even more scantily clad than in human bodybuilding contests!

 

[ufkacbln]

Looks like a kangaroo bodybuilding contest, except the kangaroos are even more scantily clad than in human bodybuilding contests!

Only the females have a pouch!

 

[biggs682]

Only the females have a pouch!

Does that mean they don't need a saddle bag

 

[Will Spin]

I saw Wayne's old mattress, lesser spotted variety lurking beside the road near Chalton, Hants this morning.

 

[gbb]

Not sure if it qualifies as unusual but (forgive me i have told this one before but for any newer members )years ago I was night cycling along an unlit country road, the beam of my front light (good iights at that time) was all I had. Suddenly out of the gloom I saw a shadow moving into my path and quickly disappeared onto the other side. it'd frightened the life out of me.... and as it passed right in front of me, me travelling at speed, all I found myself doing was shouting 'fark offff'
It was a badger of course, I missed it by a few foot while travelling at 16 mph maybe.
Nearby was the village of Elton. I could imagine some old lady at her door suddenly hearing that in the pitch black peaceful night

 

[Dogtrousers]

The rider in front of me on the Bristol Barry FNRttC had a similar badger close encounter yesterday morning. It zoomed across the road almost under their wheels.

 

[Drago]

Not while cycling, but unusual enough I hope I can be forgiven for mentioning it.

Year before last I was walking Lemmy on farm land about a mile from home (all legit, public footpath). Lemmy was off the lead, sniffing around. About 100 metres away I saw something move, and as my eyes made sense of what I saw it looked like a big cat. I mean, a BIG cat. Lemmy is a big dog, and about half the distance away so gave me some idea of scale and it certainly appeared to me to be a panther like animal.

Partly through fear of ridicule, partly through being unsure about what I'd really seen I mentioned it to no one except Mrs D. A few weeks later I quietly mentioned it to a work colleague from another department who I know has a Mum who lives in a cottage near the farm. She surprised me by saying her Mum's neighbour had also seen it.

 

[MikeG]

Badgers, foxes and hares are regulars around here. Badgers less so as I don't ride often after dusk. However, the ones I enjoy the most are snakes and stoats. If I see a snake I usually guard it until it is off the road to prevent it being run over. The best stoat sighting I had was where a mother and her kits ran across the road in front of me in a straight line nose-to-tail, and then played around in a ball together in the long grass just to the side of the road, with me watching from 5 or 6 feet away. Magic!

 

[Bollo]

The usual here - deer, badgers etc, although in winter I often get owls flying in my light beam.

It's not an unusual animal but I had an odd nearly-off with a pheasant yesterday. I was rolling downhill on a very narrow country lane and, unseen by me, a lady pheasant was sunning herself right in the stony verge. Just as I rattled past, mrs pheasant bottled it and took flight. As well as the whatthefeckisthattwofeetfrommywheel!!!! moment, its wings flicked an unbelievable amount of stony, dusty sh1te right into my face and mouth. I kept just about enough awareness to stay upright and stop, but spent the next ten minutes crying and spitting flint out of my gob. Horrible.

 

[Banjo]

I once had a pheasant on the grass verge wait until I had passed then flew up straight into the back of my head.Nearly needed new shorts.

 

[kipster]

On a club ride we once had to rescue a deer that had got its antlers tangled in a wire fence. We had to borrow snips from a passing motorist (very lucky he had some in his tool box).

 

[Drago]

You snipped its antlers off! That's a bit extreme.