What animals have you seen on your rides?

[youngoldbloke]

Lots of hares in the fields, and squashed rabbits in the road.

 

[Tiggy]

Llamas, camels, ostriches...

In the UK there should be signs around fields containing exotic animals so you're not suddenly freaked out.

 

[Jon in Sweden]

A couple of adders today. Sadly, I ran over the little one. It was only the size of a pencil and I saw it too late on the gravel.

I tried to redeem myself by chasing the larger one (about 60cm) off the road.

 

[UphillSlowly]

Today: jay (always makes me pleased), buzzards and swifts over the field near the reservoir

 

[Jenkins]

Lapwings on both Sunday & yesterday.

 

[Jon in Sweden]

I was coming back from work in the twilight last night (23:15) and saw an animal by the roadside, illuminated by the headlights of an oncoming car. I couldn't make out what it was.

As I got closer, I could see it was an enormous owl sat on top of a hare. It didn't take off until I was literally 8ft from it. The only thing it could be is a Eurasian Eagle Owl. It was enormous, and it was definitely an owl (not golden eagle, which we have here too and I've also seen) as I was so close to it I could almost touch it.

Quite extraordinary to see. In recent months on my bike I've seen most of the larger or rarer birds of prey: white tailed eagle, golden eagle, red kites, osprey, eagle owl, peregrine. Superb

 

[Gillstay]

A couple of adders today. Sadly, I ran over the little one. It was only the size of a pencil and I saw it too late on the gravel.

I tried to redeem myself by chasing the larger one (about 60cm) off the road.

View attachment 693413

That's a shame as the little ones are quite beautiful. Good photo. ta.

 

[Sallar55]

Iberian ibex today ,a few other but this one was easier to see.

 

[HLaB]

I've saw most of the animals in this thread (apart from the mountain goat 😉 and I've only seen dead badgers 😢) but the most impressive I think I've saw was on a gravel ride when I spotted a huge black stag in the woods and he charged towards the trail I was on; jumping over it just yards in front of my face.

 

[Jon in Sweden]

That's a shame as the little ones are quite beautiful. Good photo. ta.

It's quite hard to avoid running them over sometimes. There are cast numbers of reptiles here. I never fail to see a roadkilled reptile each time I'm on my bike

 

[ExBrit]

Riding a 1200km randonnee in Florida I saw an alligator. Kind of a long way away. I was OK with that.

 

[cougie uk]

In the last few weeks I've been hit by a Buzzard, had a squirrel run between my wheels and the wheels of my pal next to me, and had to shoo a baby stoat off the road. Oh and a hare. Oh and a seagull pooed on me.

It's getting a bit mad out there tbh.

 

[Jon in Sweden]

Today I saw hares, a red squirrel, a green woodpecker, a deer, a family of cranes and a buzzard flying overhead with a slow worm in it's talons. Poor little bastard.

 

[Fastpedaller]

yesterday I saw a Red Kite, a hare and a young deer.

 

[Cathryn]

Quite the tale today.

Cycling home from work on the bike path which is an old railway line. A cyclist passed me and a few moments later I saw a tiny baby rabbit writhing on the path, clearly newly hit. I hopped off and realised he had a broken leg and looked pretty awful. What could I do? I couldn't leave him. So I picked him up and nestled him into me and then walked the mile or so into town to the nearest vet's, wheeling my bike in my left hand, snuggling a dying rabbit in my right and praying the vets were open.

They were open, and they were lovely. They offered to take him from me so I could go home but I feel very strongly that no-one should die alone, so I sat and held him for half an hour. He fell asleep in my hands. Eventually, the vet saw us, she was so kind, and she did the only thing we could do for him. I had a little cry and cycled home!!

It was a real honour to look after that tiny little thing and to try to make his final moments as warm and safe as I could.